Garden Grove down payment assistance program expires

Garden Grove, Calif. (NV) — The program that helps first-time homebuyers purchase manufactured homes or for owners to renovate them has ended.

The Garden Grove program has been underwritten by the California Department of Housing and Community Development. The state allocates funding to help low or very low-income residents to purchase manufactured homes of up to $65,500 with a deferred second loan that was administered by the local entities and its affiliates. Home buyers only need to contribute 1 percent of the purchase price and must qualify for a conventional or FHA first mortgage.

Allison Wilson, the neighborhood improvement manager in the city’s Department of Community Development, said Garden Grove received a $1 million, three-year grant from the state for both first-time homeowner and rehabilitation program.

“We have not funded anyone [for the first-time program] because they were not qualified for the program, but we have helped some families for the rehabilitation program,” Wilson said. “The state set the guidelines and regulations, and the unused funds will remain with the state.”

She said the city spent $145,836 for rehabilitation activities. The balance of $854,164 will remain with the state.

The city previously had advertised that the program would run until October or until all funds had been expended. However, an amendment to the state’s CalHOME program stated the program would continue to June 30, 2018.