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Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance

Union County Planning Department (Union County Commissioners) · Union County, Pennsylvania

Last verified
See what you qualify forOfficial program site →
Assistance

$35,000

The maximum the program publishes — not an offer

Income limit

80% AMI

Of area median income; varies by county and household size

Repayment

Forgivable

Forgiven after 10 years

What is Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance is a forgivable loan for homebuyers in Union County, Pennsylvania, administered by Union County Planning Department (Union County Commissioners).

  • The Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF), established in 1997, encourages affordable homeownership by offering 0%-interest, no-payment forgivable 2nd mortgages (capped at $35,000) and 3rd mortgages (capped at $10,000) to qualified low-to-moderate-income first-time homebuyers purchasing within Union County. Loans are forgiven at 10% of original principal per year over 10 years and are repaid only if the home is sold or refinanced before forgiveness completes.
  • 0% interest.
  • No monthly payments.
  • Forgiven 10%/year over 10 years.
  • Up to $35,000 (2nd) plus $10,000 (3rd).
  • Funds may also cover lender-required repairs.
  • Funding comes from Union County Affordable Housing Fund (county-established 1997; locally funded).

How much assistance does it provide?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance offers up to $35,000 in assistance.

  • Award tiers: Two funding layers: (1) 2nd mortgage capped at $35,000; (2) 3rd mortgage capped at $10,000. Combined assistance also constrained to ~10% of purchase price; verify current cap with Planning Dept.
  • Buyer contribution: Applicant must contribute at least 3% of the purchase price from other sources (per county summary).
  • The program can be combined with Layered with primary lender mortgage and other DPA/first-mortgage products (e.g., PHFA, Union-Snyder CAA).
  • Amounts are the program's published maximums, not an offer — Union County Planning Department (Union County Commissioners) determines any individual award.

Do you have to pay it back?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance is forgiven after 10 years, so a buyer who stays that long does not repay it.

  • Repayment is triggered by Repayment required only if the property is sold or refinanced before the loan is fully forgiven; forgiven 10% of original principal per year over 10 years.
  • The assistance is recorded in Second and/or third mortgage (subordinate to primary lender). position.
  • Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Who qualifies?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance is open to first-time homebuyers and buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence.

The program requires

  • First-time homebuyer — with exceptions: First-time homebuyer defined as not having owned a home in the past three years (per program materials).
  • The home is occupied as a primary residence
  • Residency: Home must be located within Union County, PA.
  • DRAFT (dpa-gap-finder 2026-06-13): pending review. Verified on official Union County Planning Google Site and county affordable-housing page. Forgivable 2nd ($35k cap) + 3rd ($10k cap), 0% interest, no payments, 10%/yr forgiveness over 10 years, repay on sale/refi; home in Union County; 3% borrower contribution and FTHB (no ownership in past 3 yrs). GAPS: full HUD income-limit table by household size, max purchase price, min credit score, DTI, homebuyer-education requirement, participating-lender list not published — confirm via the application and Planning Dept (570-524-3825). A third-party source cited different caps; treat the county site as source of truth.

The program excludes

  • 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?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance limits household income to 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size.

  • Income-limited to low-to-moderate income; county-reported figures: 2-person household up to ~$82,880; 4-person household up to ~$103,600 (figures vary by HUD year). Full household-size table not published on the official page — confirm current HUD income limits in the application.
  • The limit applies to total household income, not only the borrower’s.
  • 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?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance caps the purchase price as follows: Combined assistance capped at 10% of purchase price per county summary; specific maximum purchase price not published.

  • Eligible property types include Single Family.

Where does it apply?

Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance serves buyers purchasing in Union County, Pennsylvania.

How do you apply?

Applications for Union County Affordable Housing Fund (UCAHF) First-Time Homebuyer Assistance go through Union County Planning Department (Union County Commissioners), which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site.

  1. Contact Union County Planning Department (Union County Commissioners) to reserve funds

    Funds are reserved through Preliminary program application reviewed by Union County Planning; funding subject to availability., and are subject to availability.

  2. 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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