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Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program

Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR) · Norfolk; Virginia Beach, Virginia

Last verified
See what you qualify forOfficial program site →
Assistance

$20,000–$50,000

The maximum the program publishes — not an offer

Income limit

60% AMI

Of area median income; varies by county and household size

Repayment

Forgivable

Forgiven after 15 years

What is Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program is a forgivable loan for homebuyers in Norfolk; Virginia Beach, Virginia, administered by Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR).

  • The Urban League of Hampton Roads (ULHR), a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, is a designated regional administrator of the Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program for the Hampton Roads region, serving Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Smithfield. The VA DPA Pilot, funded by the Commonwealth of Virginia (not federal HOME funds) and administered through DHCD, provides down payment and closing-cost assistance to first-time homebuyers earning up to 60% of Area Median Income. Assistance is a forgivable second mortgage of $20,000 to $50,000 (including up to $2,500 in closing costs), secured for a 15-year affordability period and forgiven 1/15 per year; it can be fully forgiven if the buyer keeps the home as their principal residence for 15 years. ULHR also provides one-on-one pre-purchase counseling, first-time homebuyer classes, and access to Virginia Housing's SPARC 1% rate-reduction program.
  • Forgivable second mortgage of $20,000-$50,000.
  • Up to $2,500 toward closing costs.
  • 0% interest, no monthly payments.
  • Forgiven 1/15 per year; fully forgiven after 15 years.
  • HUD-certified pre-purchase counseling and homebuyer education.
  • Funding comes from Commonwealth of Virginia general funds (state-funded VA DPA Pilot), administered by Virginia DHCD.

How much assistance does it provide?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program offers between $20,000 and $50,000 in assistance.

  • Award tiers: Single tier; up to 60% AMI; assistance $20,000-$50,000.
  • Buyer contribution: Borrower must contribute 1% of the sales price from personal funds if income is 50%-60% AMI; if income is below 50% AMI, contribution is $500 (receipts required).
  • The program can be combined with VIDA, ARS, Virginia Housing DPA, Virginia Housing SPARC, FHLB programs, USDA programs, Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae assistance, lender/employer/housing-authority programs. NOT stackable with: DHCD HOME DPA (federal), CDBG, or ASNH.
  • Amounts are the program's published maximums, not an offer — Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR) determines any individual award.

Do you have to pay it back?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program is forgiven after 15 years, so a buyer who stays that long does not repay it.

  • Repayment is triggered by If the household moves out or sells before the end of the 15-year affordability period, a prorated portion of the assistance (the unforgiven balance, forgiven 1/15 per year) must be repaid from net proceeds after the first mortgage is satisfied. Failure to occupy as principal residence triggers repayment of the entire outstanding VA DPA investment.
  • The assistance is recorded in Second (forgivable second mortgage / deferred loan behind first trust mortgage) position.
  • Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Who qualifies?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot 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 — with exceptions: First-time homebuyer = never owned a home OR has not held primary ownership in a principal residence within the most recent 3-year period. Mobile homes titled as personal property and investment/inherited property not occupied as principal residence in the last 3 years still qualify the buyer as first-time.
  • The home is occupied as a primary residence
  • On credit: Median FICO of 620 with 3 open, current trade lines. Exception to 580+ permitted if using an FHA fixed-rate product (or provider in-house fixed-rate financing) and meeting FHA guidelines, or with documented alternative credit.
  • A completed homebuyer education course, through HUD-certified homebuyer education through Virginia Housing, NeighborWorks, or a HUD-certified agency; ULHR offers its own first-time homebuyer classes and one-on-one counseling.
  • Residency: Property must be purchased in ULHR's VA DPA Pilot service area (Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Smithfield).
  • DRAFT (dpa-gap-finder 2026-06-12): pending admin review. Loan TERM: forgivable 0% second mortgage, $20,000-$50,000, 15-year affordability period, forgiven 1/15 per year, fully forgiven after 15 years of principal-residence occupancy; not assumable; max direct assistance cannot exceed 30% of sales price. Buyer must be pre-qualified with an FHA-approved lender, complete HUD-certified homebuyer education and counseling, have 90-day minimum work history, pay off collections of $1,000+ and all judgments before closing, and hold cash assets below 10% of sales price. For Sale by Owner ineligible (except landlord-to-tenant, case-by-case). No cash back at closing. Unconfirmed: ULHR's public housing page describes counseling and the Virginia Housing SPARC program but does NOT separately republish the VA DPA Pilot terms; the VA DPA Pilot program parameters here are drawn from the official DHCD Virginia DPA Pilot Program Guidelines (May 2025) and the DHCD VA Pilot DPA Administrators list (Revised March 2026), which name ULHR / Oneida Cary as the Hampton Roads administrator. Verify current open-enrollment status with ULHR before referral, as the Pilot is a one-year-grant-term program (FY2025). No special-population set-asides.

The program excludes

  • Households above 60% 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?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program limits household income to 60% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size.

  • Total household income up to 60% of HUD Area Median Income for the locality and household size, per HUD HOME income limits. Dollar limits vary by jurisdiction and household size across the Hampton Roads service area; see HUD/DHCD HOME income limit tables. (Unconfirmed: ULHR does not publish a per-household-size dollar chart on its site.).
  • 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?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program caps the purchase price as follows: Home value may not exceed 95% of the area median sales price (HUD 203(b) limits), established annually by HUD per locality. Property must be turnkey at settlement.

  • Eligible property types include Single-family detached (one unit), Duplex/Triplex (assisted unit individually sold and deeded, owner-occupied), Townhome, Condominium, Modular home, and Manufactured home (post-June 15, 1976; permanent utility hookups; owned land or long-term lease).
  • New construction is eligible.
  • Manufactured homes are eligible.

Where does it apply?

Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program serves buyers purchasing in Norfolk; Virginia Beach, Virginia.

How do you apply?

Applications for Urban League of Hampton Roads — Virginia Down Payment Assistance (VA DPA) Pilot Program go through Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR), 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 homebuyer education through Virginia Housing, NeighborWorks, or a HUD-certified agency; ULHR offers its own first-time homebuyer classes and one-on-one counseling..

  2. Contact Urban League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (ULHR) to reserve funds

    Funds are reserved through First come, first served; funds reserved only after lender pre-approval and VA DPA eligibility., 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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