Denver Home Buyer Help for DPS Staff & First Responders

SeatDenver

Population740,613

Income cap, 3+$165,600

Price cap$832,750

City and County of Denver at a glance

Denver Public Schools is the single district here, and its charter and innovation schools are part of the picture. Both count for Schools To Home as long as you're classified as full-time. Innovation zones are named in the program rules, which matters in DPS.

For first responders, the Denver Police Department, Denver Sheriff Department, Denver Fire Department and the Denver Health Paramedic Division are the main employers. Paramedic staff should confirm their CDPHE certificate matches the EMT definition, and Denver 911 call-takers and dispatchers can qualify on their duties.

Because Denver loans can run large, remember the cap: the CHFA loan is limited to the lower of $832,750 or the loan type's limit. Schools To Home's 25% second is figured on the first mortgage, not the price.

Caps for City and County of Denver

Income, 1–2	Income, 3+	Price cap
$144,000	$165,600	$832,750

Denver's FirstStep limits match the rest of the core metro; Schools To Home and Colorado Champions skip county limits entirely. Statewide table · Budget estimate

Local programs in City and County of Denver

Programs run by cities, the county, employers or nonprofits here. Some layer on top of the state option and some replace it; the lender sorts out which combinations are allowed.

metroDPA (Metro Down Payment Assistance)

Open

Denver metro / Front Range: listed cities and towns plus unincorporated Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson and Larimer counties

Buyers: Any buyer (first-time and repeat) buying a primary residence in a participating area; min FICO 620 (TMS) or 640 (U.S. Bank)
Amount: 0%, 3% or 4% of the first-mortgage amount (Nov 2, 2026 U.S. Bank guide); daily rate sheets currently show 0% or 3% for FHA/VA/USDA and 80%-AMI conventional, 2% for conventional over 80% AMI. 'EDGE' option: buyer or seller pays 2 points for a lower rate
Form: Deferred loan, repaid later
Income cap: $216,000 for FHA/VA/USDA and conventional over 80% AMI (same for all household sizes); conventional at/below 80% AMI tier $115,200 in Denver-metro counties ($120,000 Boulder, $104,320 Larimer, $102,400 Weld)
Price cap: None (agency loan limits apply)
First-time only: No
Conditions: Must use metroDPA first mortgage from an approved lender (30-yr fixed FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie HFA Preferred, Freddie HFA Advantage); homebuyer education for all borrowers; occupy within 60 days; max DTI about 50%

0% 30-year second, never forgiven; due on sale, refinance, payoff or move-out. Cannot be combined with CHFA Schools To Home (each requires its own first mortgage). Incorporated cities listed include Denver, Aurora, Arvada, Lakewood, Westminster, Thornton, Northglenn, Brighton, Commerce City, Englewood, Littleton, Centennial, Golden, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater, Castle Rock, Parker, Lone Tree, Boulder, Longmont, Erie, Superior, Broomfield, Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Timnath, Wellington, Windsor, Greeley, Evans, Eaton, Ault, Johnstown, Firestone, Frederick, Dacono, Mead, Platteville, Keenesburg, Lochbuie, Elizabeth, Bennett, Deer Trail and others (eligible-areas PDF dated 06-12-23). Denver's page and metro-dpa.com show older figures ($210,150 income cap; 5% example).

Checked November 2026 · method

Program details →Check my eligibility →

denFirstGen

Open

City and County of Denver

Buyers: First-time AND first-generation buyers (borrower and spouse, including non-purchasing spouse, must be first-time) buying a primary residence in Denver; min FICO 620; max DTI 38%/43%
Amount: $30,000, not to exceed 20% of purchase price
Form: Deferred loan, repaid later
Income cap: Household-size limits: $100,800 (1) to $144,000 (4) to $190,100 (8); annualized whole-household income, assets verified
Price cap: None (FHA loan limits apply)
First-time only: Yes
Conditions: FHA first mortgage only through the metroDPA TMS program; homeownership counseling from a housing counseling agency; NSPIRE inspection within 90 days of loan commitment

Launched 09/01/2026. 0% 30-year deferred second, not forgiven. Guidelines: https://www.ehousingplus.com/wp-content/uploads/metroDPA-denFirstGen-Final-Guide-TMS-09-14-26b.pdf

Checked November 2026 · method

Program details →Check my eligibility →

Denver Affordable Homeownership Program (income-restricted homes)

Open

City and County of Denver

Buyers: Households buying a deed-restricted affordable home sold below market
Amount: Below-market purchase price (no cash assistance)
Form: shared equity / deed-restricted resale
Income cap: Minimum 50% AMI; maximum 80%-120% AMI by household size depending on the home (HUD HOME limits)
Price cap: Set per affordable home
Conditions: Personal assets may not exceed 1.5x the home's maximum initial sales price; gifts capped at 20% of price; income pre-qualification valid 6 months

Contact affordablehousing@denvergov.org, 720-913-1634.

Checked November 2026 · method

Check my eligibility →

Elevation Community Land Trust (ECLT) homes

Open

Denver, Aurora and Fort Collins listings (also Trinidad and Cripple Creek outside the 20 counties)

Buyers: Low-to-moderate income households at or below 80% AMI buying a CLT home (ECLT owns the land under a 99-year ground lease; buyer owns the house)
Amount: Below-market prices; listings seen Nov 2026 from about $152,000 to $350,000
Form: shared equity (community land trust)
Income cap: 80% AMI: Denver metro $115,200 for 4 (MTSP); Larimer County $104,320 for 4; asset limit $185,000 for 4
Price cap: Set per home
Conditions: Must use an ECLT participating lender; ECLT online orientation plus CHFA homebuyer education; HUD Chapter 5 income rules; resale formula limits appreciation

ECLT homes are eligible for Dearfield Fund DPA. ECLT keeps a list of compatible DPA programs. Income limits: https://elevationclt.org/elevation-community-land-trust-income-limits . Aurora ZIPs 80010/80011 straddle Adams and Arapahoe counties.

Checked November 2026 · method

Program details →Check my eligibility →

Homebuyer courses near City and County of Denver

Plan on a homebuyer education course before closing; nearly every program asks for one. HUD-approved agencies serving City and County of Denver:

Agency	City	Miles	Services	Languages	Format
Northeast Denver Housing Center	Denver	0 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Face to Face, Phone, Internet
Community Economic Defense Project	Denver	1 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English, Spanish	Face to Face, Phone, Internet
Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation	Denver	2 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Face to Face, Phone
Colorado Housing and Finance Authority	Denver	2 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English, Spanish
Denver Housing Authority	Denver	4 mi	homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling	English	Face to Face, Phone, Internet

From HUD's housing counseling agency list. Programs differ on which courses they accept.

Which course counts? Your lender names the class your program accepts and can begin pre-approval at the same time. Start the eligibility check

Qualifying employers in City and County of Denver

Local school systems and public safety agencies:

Denver Public Schools
Denver Police Department
Denver Sheriff Department
Denver Fire Department
Denver Health Paramedic Division

DPS, its charters and innovation schools, and the four agencies above are the most common qualifying employers in Denver. Full list of eligible jobs.

City and County of Denver questions

Do DPS innovation school employees qualify?

Yes. Schools To Home names innovation zones alongside districts and charter schools. Full-time status is the key test.

Do Denver Health paramedics qualify for Colorado Champions?

Champions covers people with a current CDPHE EMT certificate who provide emergency medical care for a Colorado employer. A lender confirms how your certificate fits.

Is there a price limit in Denver?

Not for Schools To Home or Colorado Champions. FirstStep's non-targeted price limit in Denver is $832,750.

Nearby county guides: El Paso · Arapahoe · Jefferson · Adams · Douglas · Weld · Larimer · Boulder · Pueblo · Mesa · all counties