Schools To Home funds are limited. Colorado Champions for first responders is open, and CHFA says its funds are not limited.Run the eligibility check →
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CHFA Schools To Home

CHFA Schools To Home for Colorado public school employees

Full-time Colorado preK-12 public school staff can borrow up to 25% of their CHFA loan as a 0% second mortgage. See who qualifies and how repayment works.

Who qualifies

At least one borrower must be classified as full-time by a Colorado preK-12 public school, school district, charter school, institute charter school, BOCES or innovation zone. Any role counts: teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, food service, custodians, office staff and administrators. There is no tenure requirement.

Your lender checks your employer against the Colorado Department of Education school list, then documents full-time status with a current paystub, written verification of employment or other employer paperwork. You need to be full-time at application and again at closing.

CHFA Schools To Home lets full-time Colorado preK-12 public school employees borrow up to 25% of their CHFA first mortgage as a 0% deferred second mortgage, repaid at sale, refinance or payoff plus a share of any appreciation. CHFA Colorado Champions gives first responders a 0% deferred second of up to $25,000 or 4% of the first mortgage, whichever is less, with no shared appreciation. Neither is a grant, and both pair with a 30-year fixed CHFA first mortgage from a participating lender.

How repayment and shared appreciation work

The second mortgage is 0% with no monthly payment, but it is not a grant. You repay it in full when you sell, refinance, pay off the first mortgage, stop living in the home or reach the end of the term. You also pay a share of any appreciation to the Public School Permanent Fund. That share equals your assistance divided by the purchase price, times the gain in value.

CHFA's example: a $437,500 home with $87,500 of assistance (20%). If it sells for $480,000, the gain is $42,500, so the appreciation share is $8,500 and the total owed is $96,000. If the home doesn't appreciate, the share is zero.

Limited funds and loan rules

The program launched July 1, 2026 with a $10 million Public School Permanent Fund investment. By mid-September 2026, 85 of an estimated 125 purchases had used it, per Chalkbeat. The first mortgage must be a Fannie Mae HFA Preferred conventional loan, rate buydowns aren't allowed, and you can't combine it with other CHFA programs. If funds run short,

  • W-2s, tax returns and bank statements
  • Proof of your $1,000 minimum contribution, or a gift letter

    • Questions

    Do I have to be a teacher?

    No. Any full-time employee of a Colorado public school employer qualifies, including bus drivers, paraprofessionals, custodians and administrators. There is no tenure requirement.

    Can I use Schools To Home if I already own a home?

    Yes. There is no first-time buyer rule. Each borrower may own an interest in one other home at closing (Fannie Mae limits apply), and only one CHFA-financed property is allowed at a time.

    Can I add another down payment grant?

    CHFA's FAQ allows another provider's down payment assistance grant if you qualify for it. Other second mortgages aren't allowed, and Schools To Home can't be combined with other CHFA programs.

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