Home Ownership Program (HOP)

HOP vouchers are set aside for participants interested in home ownership who meet all of the eligibility requirements as follows:

The family must be eligible for admission to the HCV program; the family must have an active application on the Section 8 waiting list. When the family comes to the top of the Section 8 waiting list and is invited to a Section 8 preliminary briefing, the family may ask about the HOP for additional eligibility screening.
The family must qualify as a first-time homeowner (i.e. no member of the family has had any ownership interest in a principal residence in the last three years). There may be exceptions to include: a divorced single parent; as defined in the HCV Homeownership federal regulations; or the family may be a co-operative member.
In order to qualify, no family member may have previously defaulted on a mortgage obtained through the HOP and be barred from receiving future homeownership assistance.
The family must meet the federal income requirement as follows:

The family must have a gross annual income equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 2000 based on the income of adult family members who will own the home.
For disabled families, the minimum income requirement is equal to the current SS/SSI monthly payment for an individual living alone multiplied by twelve (12) months.
For elderly or disabled families, welfare assistance payments for adult family members who will own the home will be included in determining whether the family meets the minimum income requirement. It will not be included for other families.

The family must satisfy the employment requirements by demonstrating that one or more adult members of the family who will own the home at commencement of homeownership assistance is currently employed on a full-time basis (the term ‘full-time employment’ means not less than an average of 30 hours per week) and has been continuously so employed during the 12 months prior to the commencement of homeownership assistance.

A family member will be considered to have been continuously employed, even if that family member has experienced a break in employment, provided that the break in employment: § Did not exceed 30 calendar days; and

Did not occur within the 6 month period immediately prior to the family’s request to utilize the HOP; and
Has been the only break in employment within the last 12 calendar months.
The employment requirement does not apply to elderly and disabled families. In addition, if a family, other than an elderly or disabled family, includes a person with disabilities, the HASA must grant an exemption from the employment requirement if the HASA determines that it is needed as a reasonable accommodation.

Except for cooperative members who have acquired cooperative membership shares prior to commencement of homeownership assistance, no family member has a present ownership interest in a residence at the commencement of homeownership assistance for the purchase of any home.
Except for cooperative members who have acquired cooperative membership shares prior to the commencement of homeownership assistance, the family has entered a contract of sale in accordance with 24 CFR 982.631 (c).
The HASA will impose the following additional requirements:

The family has had no family issues that violate HUD’s Housing Quality Standards (HQS) within the last 12 months.
No damages, beyond normal wear and tear, to a HASA assisted unit within the last 12 months.
No landlord complaints.
The family does not owe money to the HASA or to a landlord.
The family has not committed any serious or repeated violations of a HASA-assisted lease within the last 12 months that resulted in early termination of the lease or eviction.

The family must select an approved unit subject to the following inspections:

The applicant must have a private inspector who is licensed by the Texas Real Estate Commission inspect the home at the applicant’s expense, and
An HQS inspection conducted by the HASA.

The family must provide proof of a minimum of $500 for earnest money and 3% down payment in savings.
The home buyer must also provide the certificate of completion for a HUD approved Home Buyer Education Course.

Except in the case of a family that qualifies as an elderly or disabled family, the maximum term allowed for homeownership assistance is no more than:

15 years if the initial mortgage term is 20 years or longer, or
10 years in all other cases

The list above is not all inclusive as there may be other requirements or steps to take as determined on an individual basis. Additional considerations include: contract of sale requirements, loan restrictions, eligible realtors and disapproval of seller; homeownership expenses; etc. Please see the HOP Administrative Plan link for additional information. If you are interested in applying for the Home Ownership Program, please email [email protected].

HOP Brochure