Every state has down payment or homeownership assistance programs; some states have both. The programs are designed to provide affordable housing opportunities to homebuyers who might not ordinarily be able to afford a house.
Each program can have their own income and eligibility requirements but primarily the programs are available for first-time homebuyers or low-income families.
Keep in mind if you had no ownership in a principal residence in the previous 3 years, you are also considered a first-time homebuyer even if you owned a home prior to that 3-year period.
The programs are not usually administered directly through the State. Instead, they are nonprofit based and handled through a third party agency. The list below will start you on your search but be sure to confirm the program is currently available.
(Source: HUD.gov)
Statewide and Regional Programs
Statewide Home Buyer Programs – The Nebraska Investment Finance Authority offers several programs to assist first-time homebuyers
Nebraska Community Action Agencies – First-time homeowners can receive a referral or a down payment on a mortgage through their local, participating agency
Central Nebraska Community Services – Blaine, Boone, Boyd, Brown, Colfax, Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Hall, Hamilton, Holt, Howard, Keya Paha, Loup, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Rock, Sherman, Valley, and Wheeler counties
Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska – Buffalo, Franklin, Frontier, Furnas, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps, and Red Willow counties
Panhandle Community Services – Banner, Cheyenne, Deuel, Garden, Kimball, Morrill, and Scotts Bluff counties
Southeast Nebraska Community Action Council – Cass, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, and Richardson counties
Northern Ponca Housing Authority – programs for Native Americans in select areas of Northeastern Nebraska
Nebraska Affiliates of Habitat for Humanity – through volunteer labor, builds and rehabilitates houses for families in need
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing – homebuyer programs in rural communities
Homeowner education programs – learn how to purchase and maintain a home of your own
Community contacts – find out if your community offers homeownership assistance
Programs by City/Town
Allen
Northeast Housing Initiative
P.O. Box 226
Allen, NE 68710-0226
Phone: (402) 635-2078
Email: nehi@nntc.net
Contact: Linda Kastning or Kellee Nelson
Grand Island
Hastings
Housing Development Corporation
301 S. Burlington Ave.
Hastings, NE 68902-1005
Phone: (402) 461-8407
Email: lahdc@hastingschamber.com
Contact: Linda Addison, Executive Director
Lincoln:
City of Lincoln
Nebraska Housing Resource
NeighborWorks Lincoln
Norfolk – partnership between the City of Norfolk and the Elkhorn Valley Community Development Corporation
North Platte
Lincoln County Community Development Corporation
P.O. Box 1413
502 South Dewey Street
North Platte, NE 69103
Phone: (308) 534-5095
Email: lccdc@kdsi.net
Contact: Nancy Striebel
Omaha
Family Housing Advisory Services
Holy Name Housing Corporation
Tekamah
Three Rivers HDC
Pam Thomsen, Executive Director
448 South 13th Street, Suite 200
P.O. Box 212
Tekamah, NE 68061
Phone: (402) 374-2056
Email: threerivershdc@qwestoffice.net
Walthill