Programs by Occupation · San Diego
CalHFA for teachers, nurses and first responders in San Diego: up to $24,500 toward a home in 2026
By Marvin Younan · NMLS #1544003 · Updated July 11, 2026
You keep San Diego running. You may have heard CalHFA gives teachers 4% toward a home. That program ended in 2020. Here is what is real in 2026. Teachers, nurses and first responders all use the same path now, MyHome. It lends up to 3.5% of the home's price. There is no monthly payment on it. On a $700,000 home, that is $24,500. Many "hero loan" sites still repeat the old 4% claim. This guide sets the record straight and shows what MyHome is worth at San Diego prices.
The honest answer up front
You may have heard about a CalHFA program that gives teachers 4% of the purchase price. That was real once. It was called the School Program, and CalHFA ended it on March 2, 2020. In 2026, there is no job-based CalHFA program for teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, or anyone else. Everyone uses the same path, MyHome, worth up to 3.5% of the home's price with FHA, or 3% with conventional. On a San Diego condo, that is still five figures of down payment help, with no monthly payment on it.
Is there a special CalHFA program for teachers, nurses and first responders?
No, not in 2026. CalHFA used to have one, the School Program, built for K-12 public school staff. It closed in 2020. Today every buyer, no matter the job, uses the MyHome Assistance Program. MyHome lends up to 3.5% of the home's price with a CalHFA FHA loan, or up to 3% with a CalHFA conventional loan. It pairs with the best-fit CalHFA main mortgage.
Why make a fuss about this? Many "hero home loan" ads and sites still talk about a bonus for teachers, or a special deal for public-service workers. That claim is out of date. CalHFA does not draw a line by job anymore. Better to know that before you plan your down payment.
MyHome is still a strong path. It is a "silent second," loan-world talk for a loan with no monthly bill. It waits quietly behind your main mortgage. You pay it back when you sell, refinance, or pay off the main loan.
What happened to the 4% School Program?
CalHFA discontinued the School Teacher and Employee Assistance Program effective March 2, 2020, under Program Bulletin 2020-01. While it ran, it lent up to 4% of a home's price to people paid by a California K-12 public school district: teachers, aides, office staff, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, campus security, counselors, librarians, and school nurses on a district payroll. Public charter schools counted too, along with district offices and county offices of education.
None of that is available now. If you see a site, an ad, or an agent promising 4% for teachers today, that information has not caught up with 2020. The good news: the program that replaced it, MyHome, has no job requirement at all. Private school staff, who never qualified for the old School Program, get the exact same MyHome help as public school staff do today.
What do teachers, nurses and first responders get in 2026?
The MyHome Assistance Program, CalHFA's workhorse. MyHome lends up to 3.5% of the home's price with a CalHFA FHA loan. With a CalHFA conventional loan, it lends up to 3%. You make no monthly payment on it. There is no job test at all. A public school teacher, a hospital RN, a firefighter, a paramedic and a barista all qualify the same way. The rules: be a first-time buyer, earn under the county limit, meet the credit floor, and live in the home.
MyHome is better than it sounds. With FHA and conventional loans, there is no dollar cap. So the help grows with San Diego prices. And FHA's minimum down payment is exactly 3.5%. MyHome can supply that same 3.5%. So on many deals, the help covers the whole minimum down payment. What is left is mostly closing costs. The ZIP program can shrink those. It is a 0% interest loan of roughly 2-3% of the main loan amount, and it waits too. Seller credits can shrink them as well. Details on the MyHome page.
One San Diego wrinkle: many local first responders also served in the military. A VA loan means 0% down. That usually beats what down payment help can replace. And MyHome is capped at $15,000 when paired with a VA loan. Compare the two side by side. Do not guess.
Which program path fits your occupation?
Every occupation below shares the same path in 2026. There is no job-based row anymore. Your employer decides which district or hospital you work for, not which CalHFA program you can use.
| Your occupation | Program path | Assistance |
|---|---|---|
| K-12 public school staff (teachers, aides, admin, custodians, school nurses) | MyHome + CalHFA FHA or conventional main mortgage | Up to 3.5% (FHA) / 3% (conventional) |
| Nurses at hospitals, clinics or agencies | MyHome + CalHFA FHA or conventional main mortgage | Up to 3.5% (FHA) / 3% (conventional) |
| Firefighters, police, EMTs and other first responders | MyHome + CalHFA FHA or conventional main mortgage | Up to 3.5% (FHA) / 3% (conventional) |
| Private school staff | MyHome + CalHFA FHA or conventional main mortgage | Up to 3.5% (FHA) / 3% (conventional) |
| Veterans / active duty (any occupation) | VA loan at 0% down; MyHome optional | MyHome capped at $15,000 with VA |
Now the real dollars. On a $600,000 home, MyHome's 3.5% is $21,000. On a $650,000 Mission Valley condo, it is about $22,750, enough to cover the full FHA minimum down payment on its own. On a $700,000 townhome, it is $24,500. On an $850,000 home, it is $29,750.
Do dual-income households fit under San Diego's $259,000 income limit?
Usually, yes. This wrong guess rules out more public-service buyers than credit does. San Diego County's 2026 CalHFA income limit is $259,000 per household. That limit covers MyHome for every occupation. A teacher married to a nurse? Two RNs? A nurse and a firefighter? They almost always fit, with room to spare.
The limit sits high because San Diego costs a lot. CalHFA here serves people with solid pay and no savings yet. Rent ate the money that should have been the down payment. Also useful: the income that counts is generally the borrowers' qualifying income. Not every dollar from everyone in the home. Near the line? Do not guess. Check the 2026 income limits and get a professional review. Pay that shifts month to month can count in more than one way. That can move your number up or down.
Does overtime, shift differential, or per-diem income count?
Often, yes, with history. Lenders generally want proof the extra pay is steady. Then they can count overtime, shift differential or per-diem pay. A nurse who picks up extra shifts most months can often count that pay. That can show more income than the base salary alone. Get that income on paper the right way, early. Then your real earning power shows.
Student loans worry teachers and nurses alike. The fear is usually bigger than the math. What matters is how your monthly payment gets counted. Income-driven plans, deferment and loan type all change it. Sometimes a lot. Many buyers thought their loans blocked them. Then the numbers got run, and they were fine. It depends on your full file, not a rule of thumb.
Where in San Diego does the math actually work?
In the condo and townhome market, roughly $550,000 to $750,000. Headlines quote a detached median near $1 million. That is not your market. Public-service buyers land in Mission Valley, North Park, Rancho Bernardo and Clairemont again and again. CalHFA main mortgages follow standard FHA and conventional loan size limits. San Diego County's FHA limit tops $1 million in 2026. So nearly all starter homes here are in range.
For school staff, the districts we work with most sit near those homes. San Diego Unified, Sweetwater Union, Poway Unified and Chula Vista Elementary all fit the map. Work nights or 48-hour shifts? Most of this can happen from your phone between shifts. Calls work in the evening and on weekends too. The San Diego area page maps the spots and prices in detail.
Where can I read the old School Program page?
Right here on this site. The School Program page now tells the full story: what it was, why CalHFA ended it in 2020, and what teachers and school staff use instead. We kept it up because a lot of buyers still search for it, and they deserve the real answer, not a dead link.
Teachers, nurses and first responders: CalHFA FAQ
Is there still a CalHFA program that pays teachers 4% toward a home?
No. That was the School Teacher and Employee Assistance Program, and CalHFA ended it on March 2, 2020 (Program Bulletin 2020-01). If a site or an agent still promises 4% for teachers, that claim is out of date. In 2026, teachers use the same program as everyone else, MyHome. It lends up to 3.5% of the home's price with FHA, or 3% with conventional. There is no monthly payment on it.
Is there a CalHFA program specifically for firefighters, police officers, or nurses?
No. CalHFA has no job-based program in 2026. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and everyone else use the same path: MyHome. It lends up to 3.5% with FHA or 3% with conventional. There is no job test at all. First responders who served in the military can also compare a VA loan. VA loans need 0% down. MyHome is capped at $15,000 when paired with VA.
My spouse and I both work public-service jobs. Can we still get MyHome?
Yes. MyHome has no job requirement for either borrower. What matters are the standard rules. You must be a first-time buyer (no home owned in the last 3 years). Household income must be under $259,000 in San Diego County for 2026. Credit is generally 640 or higher with FHA, 680 with conventional. You take a homebuyer education class. And you must live in the home.
What is the CalHFA income limit for teachers, nurses and first responders in San Diego?
$259,000 in household income for 2026. That limit applies to MyHome in San Diego County. The income that counts is generally the borrowers' qualifying income. A teacher and nurse household almost always fits, with room to spare.
What happened to the CalHFA School Program?
CalHFA discontinued the School Program effective March 2, 2020, under Program Bulletin 2020-01. It once lent K-12 public school employees up to 4% of a home's price. That program is gone. School employees, private school staff, and everyone else now use MyHome, worth up to 3.5% with FHA or 3% with conventional.
About the author
Marvin Younan (NMLS #1544003) is a mortgage loan originator with Simpler Home Loans, specializing in CalHFA down payment assistance and first-time buyer loans across San Diego County and Southern California. More about Marvin Younan →
Program details summarized from calhfa.ca.gov as of July 2026. CalHFA sets and may change all program terms, including income limits and assistance percentages. Home prices shown are approximate market figures for illustration. This article is educational and not a loan commitment, offer, or approval; not all applicants will qualify.
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