Up to $0 toward a down payment in NJ.
Launched in 2024, the NJHMFA First Generation Down Payment Assistance Program is a Smart Start Plus tier that adds $7,000 to the standard NJHMFA Down Payment Assistance Program for qualified first-time homebuyers who are also first-generation homebuyers (defined as borrowers whose parents have never had a present ownership interest in residential real property, OR who have at any time been placed in foster care in New Jersey). The combined assistance totals $17,000-$22,000 depending on county, structured as an interest-free, 5-year forgivable second mortgage with no monthly payment. Must be paired with an NJHMFA first mortgage. During its first full year (2024), first-generation buyers comprised 38% of total NJHMFA DPA loan volume.
Short reads on how it works, in plain language. Free, no sign-up needed to read.
Free course from Hey Prescott
A short, free course on First Generation Down Payment Assistance Program: what it is, who it is for, how it is forgiven, where it applies and how to apply. Based on program data from July 2026. About ten minutes.
5 modules · About 10 minutes
Program details are sourced from public agency data and may change. Confirm eligibility with a Hey Prescott loan officer before applying.