What can a first-time buyer in New Orleans get right now?
The biggest piece is the City's Direct Homebuyer Soft Second, run by the Office of Community Development. It offers up to $55,000 toward the down payment or financing gap and up to $5,000 for closing costs, as a deferred second mortgage. The program page shows the two amounts as alternatives in one place and says a buyer may receive both in another, so ask OCD which applies to you. You need household income at or below 80% of area median, no home owned in the last three years, a price of $324,000 or less, HUD-approved homebuyer education and a first mortgage from a City-approved lender. The City reported $1,000,000 in CDBG money as of January 2026 and adds funds as they come in, so treat it as funding-dependent.
The second piece belongs to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority. A HERO soft second of up to $70,000 is attached to homes that NORA-selected developers build or renovate, with an income cap of 100% of area median. You don't apply to NORA; you buy one of those homes. The 2026 window (October 21 to December 1) is for developers, so HERO homes reach the market after awards. NORA lets its subsidy sit behind the City's, so the two can be layered. For the first 30 days a HERO home is listed, only households with a police officer, firefighter, EMT or pre-K-12 teacher can contract on it (Good Neighbor first look), which matters for NOPD, New Orleans Fire, New Orleans EMS and NOLA Public Schools staff.
Orleans Parish is left out of the CAFA bond program and Jefferson's JPFA programs, so the statewide LHC loans are the other layer here. A 2022 teacher homeownership incentive no longer appears on OCD's program list. Compare everything on the Orleans Parish guide or run the program finder.
What does New Orleans offer on its own?
City of New Orleans (Orleans Parish)
- Help available
- Up to $55,000 soft second (down payment/gap) plus up to $5,000 closing costs (CDBG pays at most 50% of total closing costs). The page's 'Assistance Available' box shows the two as alternatives ('OR'), while the body text says a buyer may receive both; confirm with OCD.
- Kind of help
- Deferred loan, due at sale or refinance
- Who it's for
- First-time homebuyers (no home owned in the past 3 years) buying in Orleans Parish
- Income cap
- 80% AMI (2026 New Orleans HUD income chart linked on the page; dollar figures not captured)
- Price cap
- $324,000 maximum sales price
- Only for first-time buyers?
- Yes
- Also worth knowing
- HUD-approved homebuyer education; first mortgage from a City-approved lender (2026 lender list); state-approved closing agency; home in Orleans Parish
$1,000,000 in CDBG funds available as of January 2026 (page last updated 7/31/2026); the City says it adds funds as they become available. Contact Cedrica Sartin, 504-658-4244, cedrica.sartin@nola.gov. The older nola.gov/softseconds page (2019 $3M funding, updated 2024) is superseded.
Checked November 2026 · our sources
Read our full write-up →Orleans Parish (NORA target areas)
- Help available
- Up to $70,000 soft second, based on documented need and underwriting
- Kind of help
- Deferred loan, due at sale or refinance
- Who it's for
- Buyers of homes built or renovated by NORA-selected developers; at or below 100% AMI; no principal residence owned in the prior 3 years
- Income cap
- 100% AMI (latest HUD limits)
- Only for first-time buyers?
- Yes
- Also worth knowing
- Must qualify for a first mortgage and occupy as primary residence for the affordability period; may own no more than a 50% interest in other residential property. Buyers do not apply to NORA; they buy from participating developers. Can be layered with the City's soft second (NORA subordinates).
The Oct 21 - Dec 1, 2026 window is for DEVELOPER applications, so homes with HERO subsidy will come to market after awards. For the first 30 days of marketing, homes may go under contract only to 'Good Neighbor' households (law enforcement officer, firefighter, EMT, pre-K-12 teacher). NORA also runs NOHIP (developer program, 80% AMI buyers; developer window July 6 - Aug 6, 2026).
Checked November 2026 · our sources
Read our full write-up →Orleans Parish
- Help available
- Up to $70,000 HERO soft second (same as all HERO buyers); the occupational benefit is a 30-day exclusive window to contract
- Kind of help
- Deferred loan, due at sale or refinance
- Who it's for
- Households with a law enforcement officer, firefighter, EMT or pre-K-12 teacher
Homes come through NORA-selected developers; the 2026 developer window is Oct 21 - Dec 1, 2026, so inventory comes later.
Checked November 2026 · our sources
Read our full write-up →What about statewide help?
On top of local programs, New Orleans buyers can use 1 programs that cover all of Louisiana, HomeStart Advantage (formerly Keys for Service) among them. Browse every Louisiana program or try the program matcher.
Parish guide: Orleans Parish.
Where can you take a homebuyer class near Orleans Parish?
Nearly every assistance program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies are within reach of Orleans Parish and offer classes or one-on-one counseling before you buy:
| Counseling agency | Located in | How far | Offers | Meets you | Languages |
|---|
| Desire Community Housing Corporation | New Orleans | 9 mi | Class and coaching | by phone / online | English |
| Family Resources of New Orleans | New Orleans | 10 mi | Class and coaching | by phone / online | English |
| Jefferson Community Action Programs | New Orleans | 17 mi | Class and coaching | by phone | English |
Taken from HUD's list of approved counseling agencies. Programs differ on which classes they accept.
Which class will count for you? Ask the loan officer handling your file. They know which courses each Louisiana program accepts, and they can get your pre-approval going in the same conversation.
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New Orleans questions we hear
How much is the New Orleans soft second?
Up to $55,000 for the down payment or gap, plus up to $5,000 toward closing costs (CDBG covers at most half of total closing costs). The City's page words the combination two ways, so confirm with the Office of Community Development.
Can I combine the City soft second with a NORA HERO home?
Yes. NORA says it will subordinate its HERO soft second, so a buyer of a HERO home who also qualifies for the City's program can layer the two. The City's 80% AMI and $324,000 price limits still apply to its part.
Do teachers or first responders get anything extra in New Orleans?
On HERO homes, households with a law enforcement officer, firefighter, EMT or pre-K-12 teacher get a 30-day window to go under contract before anyone else. The subsidy amount is the same as for other HERO buyers. HUD Good Neighbor Next Door is a separate federal option.
