Bossier Parish · HomeStart Advantage (formerly Keys for Service)
Down payment help in Bossier Parish, Louisiana
In Bossier City, Benton, Haughton or Plain Dealing, HomeStart Advantage offers 4% of your loan as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 5 years.
Parish seatBenton
People131,867
Income cap, 3+$97,635
Highest price$554,850
What should you know about buying in Bossier Parish?
Bossier Parish sits across the Red River from Shreveport, with Benton as its seat. Bossier Parish Schools is the single school district, and the Bossier City Police Department, Bossier City Fire Department and Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office handle public safety.
Military families are common here. Eligible veterans with a DD214 can skip the first-time buyer rule under HomeStart Assist, and HomeStart Advantage has no first-time rule at all. VA loans work with both.
Bossier uses the standard HomeStart Assist limits of $84,900 for 1 to 2 people and $97,635 for 3 or more.
What are the limits in Bossier Parish?
Household of 1 or 2
Household of 3+
Highest price
$84,900
$97,635
$554,850
Bossier follows the standard HomeStart Assist limits; HomeStart Advantage uses the $125,000 statewide cap, and a lender confirms the FHA price limit. Compare every area's limits or run the home budget calculator.
Is there local money in Bossier 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.
Where can you take a homebuyer class near Bossier Parish?
Nearly every assistance program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies are within reach of Bossier Parish and offer classes or one-on-one counseling before you buy:
Counseling agency
Located in
How far
Offers
Meets you
Languages
The Highland Center Corporation
Shreveport
15 mi
Class and coaching
in person / by phone / online
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 Bossier Parish employers whose staff fit the program:
Bossier Parish Schools
Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office
Bossier City Police Department
Bossier City Fire Department
Bossier teachers, officers, firefighters and veterans qualify, and so does every other occupation. See the list of eligible jobs.
Bossier Parish questions we hear
Can I use a VA loan with HomeStart Advantage?
Yes. VA loans are one of the eligible first mortgage types.
I'm a veteran who owned a home before. Can I use HomeStart Assist?
Eligible veterans with a DD214 are exempt from the Assist first-time buyer rule. HomeStart Advantage has no first-time rule in the first place.
What is the income limit in Bossier City?
$125,000 for HomeStart Advantage, or $84,900 to $97,635 for HomeStart Assist depending on household size.
Hey there, I'm Denise. See if you're eligible for down payment assistance in Louisiana. It's a handful of questions and maybe two minutes of your time.
