Opening the Door to Homeownership

by closing the financing gap

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City First Homes is now Homes by CFE.

Homes by CFE helps low to moderate-income borrowers leave the cycle of renting and achieve stable, affordable homeownership. By supporting borrowers with the necessary funds to be able to make a down payment, program participants avoid the added cost of mortgage insurance, and lower their upfront down payment and closing costs. As nonprofit lenders, we are guided by the values of transparency, equity, and responsibility.

Homes by CFE developed the Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program as a Special Purpose Credit Program (SPCP) designed to benefit low to moderate-income Black and Latino households — the groups that experience the most significant homeownership gap in the DC and Baltimore Metro areas. Learn more about SPCPs here. 

How can we help you?

Down Payment Assistance

Are you interested in becoming a homeowner, and do you identify as Black and/or Latino? Learn about program eligibility, loan terms, and support.

DPA Program Guide

Legacy Program Information

Are you a homeowner through the original City First Homes program? If you purchased your property before January 30, 2022, get info on program updates, resales, and more.

Legacy Program Information

Impact: Get to Know Our Borrowers

The DC and Baltimore Metro areas are a high-cost market, and most Black and Latino residents are priced out of home ownership. Homes by CFE borrowers live in communities where: 

 

 

Building Equity: Homes by CFE Paves the Way for Ms. Godwin's Homeownership

Our innovative new program aims to bridge the homeownership gap for Black and Latino families in the DC region, offering up to 20% of the home’s purchase price for down payments and additional purchase assistance. Ms. Godwin joined the first-ever group of successful Homes by CFE borrowers. Discover her inspiring journey to homeownership.

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A Legacy of Innovation

Homes by CFE is a subsidiary of City First Enterprises, a nonprofit that creates equitable financial solutions to support people and communities in achieving their economic aspirations.

We launched the Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program as a SPCP, a provision of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to enable us to focus on the communities most in need – and to help change outcomes for generations of families. 

Learn more about SPCPs