Parish seatAmite City
People141,346
Income cap, 3+$97,635
Highest price$554,850
What should you know about buying in Tangipahoa Parish?
Tangipahoa Parish stretches from the edge of Lake Maurepas to the Mississippi line, with Amite City as its seat. The Tangipahoa Parish School System serves the whole parish.
Hammond is the population center, and the Hammond Police Department, Hammond Fire Department, Ponchatoula Police Department and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office are the main public safety employers. Under the old Keys for Service rules they had to prove their job. HomeStart Advantage dropped that requirement.
Tangipahoa uses the standard HomeStart Assist limits, $84,900 and $97,635, even though neighboring Livingston and St. Tammany sit higher.
What are the limits in Tangipahoa Parish?
| Household of 1 or 2 | Household of 3+ | Highest price |
|---|
| $84,900 | $97,635 | $554,850 |
Tangipahoa's HomeStart Assist limits are the standard $84,900 and $97,635; HomeStart Advantage allows up to $125,000, and a lender confirms the FHA price limit. Compare every area's limits or run the home budget calculator.
Is there local money in Tangipahoa 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 Tangipahoa Parish?
Nearly every assistance program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies are within reach of Tangipahoa Parish and offer classes or one-on-one counseling before you buy:
| Counseling agency | Located in | How far | Offers | Meets you | Languages |
|---|
| Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West | Mandeville | 26 mi | Class and coaching | by phone | English |
| Bogalusa Rebirth | Bogalusa | 34 mi | Class and coaching | in person / by phone | English |
| Integrity Homebuyer Association, Incorporated | Gonzales | 41 mi | Class and coaching | in person / by phone / online | English |
| Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation | Baton Rouge | 43 mi | Class and coaching | in person / by phone / online | English |
| Mid City Redevelopment Alliance | Baton Rouge | 47 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 Tangipahoa Parish employers whose staff fit the program:
- Tangipahoa Parish School System
- Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office
- Hammond Police Department
- Hammond Fire Department
- Ponchatoula Police Department
Tangipahoa teachers, police and firefighters qualify, and since September 2026 every other occupation does too. See the list of eligible jobs.
Tangipahoa Parish questions we hear
Why is Tangipahoa's limit lower than St. Tammany's?
HomeStart Assist limits follow area median income. Tangipahoa uses the standard $84,900 and $97,635. HomeStart Advantage is $125,000 everywhere.
Can I use the program in Kentwood or Independence?
Yes. HomeStart Advantage is statewide.
Is the 4% a grant?
No. It's a 0% second mortgage that's forgiven after 5 years of living in the home.
Other parishes: East Baton Rouge Parish Jefferson Parish Orleans Parish St. Tammany Parish Lafayette Parish Caddo Parish Calcasieu Parish Ouachita Parish Every parish
