Parish seatDonaldsonville
People135,105
Income cap, 3+$108,675
Highest price$554,850
What should you know about buying in Ascension Parish?
Ascension Parish sits between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, with Donaldsonville as its seat. Ascension Public Schools serves the whole parish, and its teachers were among the first people Keys for Service was designed to help.
The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and the Gonzales and Donaldsonville police departments are the main public safety employers. HomeStart Advantage still welcomes them, and now opens the same 4% to plant workers, retail staff and everyone else.
Ascension is in the capital-area HomeStart Assist group: $94,500 for 1 to 2 people and $108,675 for 3 or more.
What are the limits in Ascension Parish?
| Household of 1 or 2 | Household of 3+ | Highest price |
|---|
| $94,500 | $108,675 | $554,850 |
Ascension's HomeStart Assist limits are $94,500 and $108,675; HomeStart Advantage allows up to $125,000, and the price cap is the FHA limit a lender confirms. Compare every area's limits or run the home budget calculator.
Is there local money in Ascension Parish?
Yes. The programs below are run closer to home. Some can sit on top of the state program and some replace it, so your loan officer sorts out which ones work together.
61 Louisiana parishes (all except Orleans, Jefferson and a few others)
- Help available
- 4% of the total note amount for down payment, closing costs, prepaids or Realtor commission, with a 30-year fixed FHA/VA/USDA first mortgage
- Kind of help
- Forgivable second loan
- Who it's for
- First-time homebuyers; waived for veterans (DD-214, one-time use) and targeted census tracts
- Income cap
- Effective 05/01/26, non-targeted: $84,900 (1-2) / $97,635 (3+) in most parishes, up to $107,700 / $123,855 in St. Tammany; targeted areas: $101,880 / $118,860 up to $129,240 / $150,780
- Price cap
- $544,233 (1 unit, non-targeted); $665,173 (targeted)
- Only for first-time buyers?
- Yes
- Also worth knowing
- 0% 5-year second: no forgiveness in months 1-36, then 1/24 forgiven each month. Homebuyer education for all buyers on title. Min FICO 620 (640 US Bank).
Guide published 05/13/26, rev. 07/20/26; program page https://thecafa.org/homebuyers/cafa-first-home (shows 7% government rate). This is a separate bond first mortgage: choose CAFA OR LHC HomeStart, not both. Essentially a second regional/statewide option with income and price limits close to LHC HomeStart Assist.
Checked November 2026 · our sources
Read our full write-up →Browse every Louisiana program.
Where can you take a homebuyer class near Ascension Parish?
Nearly every assistance program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies are within reach of Ascension Parish and offer classes or one-on-one counseling before you buy:
| Counseling agency | Located in | How far | Offers | Meets you | Languages |
|---|
| Integrity Homebuyer Association, Incorporated | Gonzales | 1 mi | Class and coaching | in person / by phone / online | English |
| Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation | Baton Rouge | 20 mi | Class and coaching | in person / by phone / online | English |
| Mid City Redevelopment Alliance | Baton Rouge | 23 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.
Start the check
Which local employers are covered?
A few of the Ascension Parish employers whose staff fit the program:
- Ascension Public Schools
- Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office
- Gonzales Police Department
- Donaldsonville Police Department
Ascension teachers and deputies qualify, along with every other occupation. See the list of eligible jobs.
Ascension Parish questions we hear
What is the HomeStart Assist limit in Ascension Parish?
$94,500 for 1 to 2 people and $108,675 for 3 or more, in non-targeted areas.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer in Prairieville?
Not for HomeStart Advantage. You just can't own another residential property when you close.
Can a new-construction home qualify?
The rules focus on the home type and occupancy: one-unit homes, townhomes, condos and qualifying manufactured homes that you live in. Ask your lender about a specific builder.
Other parishes: East Baton Rouge Parish Jefferson Parish Orleans Parish St. Tammany Parish Lafayette Parish Caddo Parish Calcasieu Parish Ouachita Parish Every parish
