First Time Home Buyer Grant Program
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program is a grant for homebuyers in Hamburg, New York.
The program asks for
- First-time homebuyer — with exceptions: Must not have owned any residential real estate in the previous 3 years (HUD HOME first-time homebuyer definition).
- The home is occupied as a primary residence
- On credit: No published minimum FICO; underwriting follows the buyer's first-mortgage product
- A completed homebuyer education course, through Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Inc. - HUD-approved housing counseling agency; required Homebuyer/Budget Counseling course; Buffalo Urban League also accepted.
- Residency: Property must be located within the Town of Hamburg (Erie County), NY - including the Villages of Blasdell and Hamburg and hamlets such as Lakeview and Woodlawn - and be the buyer's primary residence. Open to all income-eligible buyers regardless of current residence.
- Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen permitted by underlying first-mortgage product and HUD HOME rules
- Property must be an existing single-family home located within the Town of Hamburg (including the Villages of Blasdell and Hamburg, and hamlets including Lakeview and Woodlawn). Buyer must be a first-time homebuyer per HUD definition (no ownership of residential real estate in previous 3 years). Household income must satisfy HUD PY 2025 income limits, ranging from approximately $56,600 (1-person) up to $106,700 (8-person) for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls MSA at 80% AMI. Maximum eligible purchase price $298,950. Buyer must complete a required Homebuyer / Budget Counseling course (Belmont Housing Resources for WNY or Buffalo Urban League) and submit documentation. Eligible homes are limited to single-family only (no condos or 2-families). Buyer must occupy the home as primary residence for the 5-year affordability period; grant is forgiven at the end of year 5. Sale, transfer, refinance with cash-out, or loss of owner-occupancy during the 5-year period triggers full repayment.
- A home inside Hamburg city limits
It doesn’t cover
- Manufactured homes
- New construction
- Purchases above the $298,950 price cap
- Households above 80% of area median income
- Homes outside Hamburg
These are the program's own published rules, not a decision about any individual — the administering agency and a lender determine who actually qualifies.
Income limit
80% of Erie County’s area median income
HUD sets the area median income each year. The limit changes with household size, so a family of five has a higher limit than a single homebuyer.
Where it applies
Hamburg’s homesHamburg’s homes, and the ones this program accepts
- 71.9% single-familysingle-family
- 0.5% townhousetownhouse
- 16.4% 2–4 units2–4 units
- 11% 5+ unitscondo & apartment buildings (5+ units)
- 0.1% mobile & othermobile home & other
A tick marks a kind of home the program’s record lists. The agency confirms it for the home you choose.
$248,600
Hamburg median home value
83.1%
built before 1980
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year. More about buying in Hamburg
How to apply
How to applyThree steps, in this order
Take a homebuyer education course
Required by the program, through Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Inc. - HUD-approved housing counseling agency; required Homebuyer/Budget Counseling course; Buffalo Urban League also accepted..
Contact the administering agency to reserve funds
Funds are reserved through First-come, first-served via the Town of Hamburg Department of Community Development; subject to annual CDBG/HOME allocation. Applicant must complete intake, Homebuyer/Budget Counseling, and submit application before going under contract., and are subject to availability.
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 homebuyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.
Questions about this program
What is First Time Home Buyer Grant Program?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program is a grant for homebuyers in Hamburg, New York. The Town of Hamburg First Time Home Buyer Grant Program is a CDBG/HOME-funded conditional grant of up to $20,000 to first-time homebuyers purchasing an existing single-family home within the Town of Hamburg (including the Villages of Blasdell and Hamburg and hamlets such as Lakeview and Woodlawn). The program is administered by the Town of Hamburg Department of Community Development and partners with Belmont Housing Resources for WNY for required homebuyer/budget counseling. Income eligibility follows HUD PY 2025 80% AMI limits for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls MSA. The grant is forgiven over a 5-year owner-occupancy / affordability period; if the buyer sells, transfers, refinances with cash-out, or no longer occupies the home during the 5-year period, the grant must be repaid in full. Conditional grant of up to $20,000 toward the purchase of an existing single-family home within the Town of Hamburg (including the Villages of Blasdell and Hamburg, and hamlets such as Lakeview and Woodlawn). Grant is structured as a conditional/forgivable second mortgage. if the buyer remains in compliance (owner-occupies as primary residence) for the 5-year affordability period, the grant is fully forgiven. Maximum eligible purchase price $298,950 (Buffalo-area HUD HOME 95% rule). Funding comes from CDBG, HOME, Federal, and Local Government.
How much assistance does it provide?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program offers up to $20,000 in assistance. Homebuyer contribution: Per first-mortgage program; no specific Town minimum published. The program can be combined with other assistance, subject to the rules of each. Amounts are the program's published maximums, not an offer — the administering agency determines any individual award.
Do you have to pay it back?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program is structured as a grant, so it is not repaid. Repayment is triggered by Conditional grant secured by a forgivable second mortgage and grant is forgiven after 5 years of continuous owner-occupancy. Sale, transfer, refinance with cash-out, or loss of owner-occupancy during the 5-year affordability period triggers full repayment of the grant to the Town of Hamburg. The assistance is recorded in 2 position. Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.
Who qualifies?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program is open to first-time homebuyers and homebuyers who will live in the home as their primary residence. "First-time" has exceptions here: Must not have owned any residential real estate in the previous 3 years (HUD HOME first-time homebuyer definition). On credit, the program states: No published minimum FICO; underwriting follows the buyer's first-mortgage product. A homebuyer education course is required, through Belmont Housing Resources for WNY, Inc. - HUD-approved housing counseling agency; required Homebuyer/Budget Counseling course; Buffalo Urban League also accepted. Residency requirement: Property must be located within the Town of Hamburg (Erie County), NY - including the Villages of Blasdell and Hamburg and hamlets such as Lakeview and Woodlawn - and be the buyer's primary residence. Open to all income-eligible buyers regardless of current residence. Citizenship or immigration status: U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen permitted by underlying first-mortgage product and HUD HOME rules. Property must be an existing single-family home located within the Town of Hamburg (including the Villages of Blasdell and Hamburg, and hamlets including Lakeview and Woodlawn). Buyer must be a first-time homebuyer per HUD definition (no ownership of residential real estate in previous 3 years). Household income must satisfy HUD PY 2025 income limits, ranging from approximately $56,600 (1-person) up to $106,700 (8-person) for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls MSA at 80% AMI. Maximum eligible purchase price $298,950. Buyer must complete a required Homebuyer / Budget Counseling course (Belmont Housing Resources for WNY or Buffalo Urban League) and submit documentation. Eligible homes are limited to single-family only (no condos or 2-families). Buyer must occupy the home as primary residence for the 5-year affordability period; grant is forgiven at the end of year 5. Sale, transfer, refinance with cash-out, or loss of owner-occupancy during the 5-year period triggers full repayment.
What are the income limits?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program limits household income to 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size. Household income must be at or below 80% HUD PY 2025 Area Median Income for the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls MSA, adjusted by household size. 2025 80% AMI limits range approximately: 1-person $56,600; 2-person $64,650; 3-person $72,750; 4-person $80,800; 5-person $87,300; 6-person $93,750; 7-person $100,200; 8-person $106,700. The limit applies to total household income, not only the borrower’s. The program lists a maximum household size of 8. 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?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program caps the purchase price at $298,950. Eligible property types include Single-family detached. New construction is not eligible. Manufactured homes are not eligible.
Where does it apply?
First Time Home Buyer Grant Program serves homebuyers purchasing in Hamburg, New York.
How do you apply?
Applications for First Time Home Buyer Grant Program go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site. Funds are reserved through First-come, first-served via the Town of Hamburg Department of Community Development; subject to annual CDBG/HOME allocation. Applicant must complete intake, Homebuyer/Budget Counseling, and submit application before going under contract. Hey Prescott is not a lender and does not accept applications; this page describes the program so a homebuyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.
Also for Hamburg homebuyersOther programs open to Hamburg homebuyers
- Down Payment & Closing Cost Plus (DPCC+)Deferred
- FHLBNY Homebuyer Dream Program (HDP) SuiteUp to $30,000
- SONYMA Achieving the Dream ProgramUp to $15,000
Whether two programs can be combined is up to each agency. Ask before you apply.
All 67 programs for HamburgProgram terms are set by the administering agency and can change; confirm on the official site before you apply.