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Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program

City of Auburn Business & Community Development (lead, Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium) with City of Lewiston Economic & Community Development · Auburn, Maine

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See what you qualify forOfficial program site →
Income limit

80% AMI

Of area median income; varies by county and household size

Repayment

Deferred

No payments until the home is sold or refinanced

What is Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program?

Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program is a deferred second loan for homebuyers in Auburn, Maine, administered by City of Auburn Business & Community Development (lead, Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium) with City of Lewiston Economic & Community Development.

  • The Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium (Auburn is the lead HOME recipient; Lewiston administers within Lewiston) operates a HOMEbuyer Assistance Program providing direct down payment/closing-cost subsidy to low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers in Auburn or Lewiston. Assistance is a 0%-interest HOME subsidy secured by a written agreement, subject to a HOME affordability period with shared-net-proceeds recapture. Minimum HOME subsidy is $1,000 per unit.
  • Direct down payment / closing-cost subsidy to first-time low/moderate-income buyers.
  • 0% interest HOME assistance.
  • Shared-net-proceeds recapture.
  • Affordability period scaled to subsidy size (5/10/15 years).

Do you have to pay it back?

Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program is deferred, so no payments are due until the home is sold, refinanced, or the first mortgage is paid off.

  • Repayment is triggered by Sale/transfer/conveyance or senior-lender foreclosure before end of HOME affordability period (shared-net-proceeds recapture).
  • Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Who qualifies?

Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program is open to first-time homebuyers and buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence.

The program requires

  • First-time homebuyer — the program sets its own definition
  • The home is occupied as a primary residence
  • A completed homebuyer education course, through HUD-certified / hoMEworks homebuyer education.
  • DRAFT (dpa-gap-finder 2026-06-14): pending review. Loan term: Tied to HOME affordability period: <$15,000 = 5 yrs; $15,000-$40,000 = 10 yrs; >$40,000 = 15 yrs. First-time, low/moderate income, owner-occupant. Could NOT confirm officially: current award amounts ($5k grant/$2k-$8k forgivable), 5:1/$1,000 contribution, 3% minimum down, 10-hour education, $15,000 cash-asset cap (these appear only in news/aggregators). Confirmed from City of Auburn 2025 CD Operations Manual: 0% HOME subsidy, $1,000 min, 95%-of-median price cap, shared-net-proceeds recapture, 5/10/15-yr tiers, $55k asset cap, 1040-AGI income method.

The program excludes

  • Manufactured homes
  • Households above 80% of area median income

These are the program's own published rules, not a decision about any individual — the administering agency and a lender determine who actually qualifies.

What are the income limits?

Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program limits household income to 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size.

  • Households at/below HUD income limits for the Lewiston-Auburn MSA; resale targets 70-80% AMI. HOME default income = 1040 adjusted gross income. UNCONFIRMED: exact by-household-size dollar limits for current AMI year.
  • Area median income figures are published by HUD and updated annually, so check the current table for the county before relying on a number.

What kind of home can it be used for?

Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program caps the purchase price as follows: Purchase price may not exceed 95% of area median purchase price for the housing type (HUD Section 203(b)).

  • Eligible property types include Single Family.
  • New construction is eligible.
  • Manufactured homes are not eligible.

Where does it apply?

Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program serves buyers purchasing in Auburn, Maine.

How do you apply?

Applications for Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium HOMEbuyer Assistance Program go through City of Auburn Business & Community Development (lead, Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium) with City of Lewiston Economic & Community Development, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site.

  1. Take a homebuyer education course

    Required by the program, through HUD-certified / hoMEworks homebuyer education..

  2. Contact City of Auburn Business & Community Development (lead, Auburn-Lewiston HOME Consortium) with City of Lewiston Economic & Community Development to reserve funds

    Funds are reserved with the provider and are subject to availability.

  3. Work with a lender who handles the program

    Hey Prescott is not a lender and does not accept applications; this page describes the program so a buyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.

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