Elbert County at a glance
Elizabeth School District is the largest, with Kiowa School District and Elbert School District 200 serving smaller communities. Full-time staff in any of them qualify for Schools To Home. If you live in Elbert but work for a school district in another county, that works too, since the program follows your employer.
The Elbert County Sheriff's Office and Elizabeth Fire Protection District are the main local Colorado Champions employers. Volunteer firefighters qualify, which opens the program to residents who serve part-time while working other jobs.
Elbert uses the metro FirstStep tier. If you're looking at a manufactured home, Champions allows manufactured housing under CHFA guidelines, while Schools To Home is limited to homes that fit its conventional loan rules.
Caps for Elbert County
| Income, 1–2 | Income, 3+ | Price cap |
|---|---|---|
| $144,000 | $165,600 | $832,750 |
Elbert falls in the metro FirstStep tier despite being rural; Schools To Home and Champions use statewide caps. Statewide table · Budget estimate
Local programs in Elbert County
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)
OpenDenver 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 →Homebuyer courses near Elbert County
Plan on a homebuyer education course before closing; nearly every program asks for one. HUD-approved agencies serving Elbert County:
| Agency | City | Miles | Services | Languages | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County Housing Partnership | Lone Tree | 44 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English, Spanish | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
| Northeast Denver Housing Center | Denver | 54 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
| Community Economic Defense Project | Denver | 55 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English, Spanish | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
| Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation | Denver | 55 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone |
| Operation Hope-Commerce City Co | Commerce City | 56 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English |
From HUD's housing counseling agency list. Programs differ on which courses they accept.
Qualifying employers in Elbert County
Local school systems and public safety agencies:
- Elizabeth School District
- Kiowa School District
- Elbert School District 200
- Elbert County Sheriff's Office
- Elizabeth Fire Protection District
Elizabeth, Kiowa and Elbert 200 staff, sheriff's deputies and Elizabeth Fire volunteers are typical qualifiers. Full list of eligible jobs.
Elbert County questions
Can an Elizabeth Fire volunteer use Colorado Champions?
Yes. Volunteers with a Colorado fire protection district are eligible, and you qualify on income from your regular job.
I live in Elbert but teach in Douglas County. Do I qualify?
Yes. Schools To Home looks at your full-time public school employer, and you can buy anywhere in Colorado.
What's Elbert County's FirstStep price limit?
$832,750 for non-targeted areas.
Nearby county guides: El Paso · City and of Denver · Arapahoe · Jefferson · Adams · Douglas · Weld · Larimer · Boulder · Pueblo · all counties
Run the check for Elbert County
Six questions, no credit check. A lender who offers the program follows up, or call (800) 555-0100.
Start the eligibility check