A Plethora of Programs for House Seekers

Home buyers seeking down-payment and other assistance can seek help from various government programs. Requirements for each program vary, depending on the city and county in which home buyers plan to reside.

Below is a partial list of Southern California homeowner assistance programs. For detailed information, potential purchasers should consult the local housing, community development or redevelopment agencies of the cities in which they are considering buying a home.

* Cities within Los Angeles County: Call the housing department or redevelopment agency for your city, or visit: www.lapartners.org.

* Los Angeles Housing Department Home Buyer Assistance Programs, including HOMEWORKS!, HOMEBUY, Mortgage Credit Certificate Program, Extra Credit Homes for Teachers: (213) 367-9059 or (213) 367-9062. Visit www.cityofla.org/lahd or e-mail at [email protected].

* Orange County Affordable Homeownership Alliance: www.ocahoa.org

* HomeChoice (home-purchase assistance program for those with disabilities): (888) 346-9700 or (800) 732-6643

* Home-buying assistance programs for teachers (Los Angeles): (888) 946-8333 or visit www.lat map.org

* Officer Next Door (Los Angeles): www.goldenfeather.com

* Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco’s Individual Development and Empowerment Account (IDEA): www.fhlbsf.com/ community/idea.asp

* Department of Housing and Urban Development programs (HUD): www.hud.gov

* Freddie Mac: www.freddiemac.com/sell/expmkts

Fannie Mae: www.homepath.com or www.fanniemae.com

--Diane Wedner