Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP)

The Homeownership Assistance Program (HAP) offers direct assistance to eligible residents, enhancing their homeownership opportunities. Assistance works to make homeownership more attainable in the current housing market. An emphasis is placed on providing opportunities for home purchases outside of high-risk areas, as designated by Baldwin County and its municipalities, to encourage community diversity and equity among residents and neighborhoods.

Income and Assets

Eligible applicants are currently low to moderate-income households that were Baldwin County residents at the time of the disaster. The program leverages the waiver of 42 USC § 5305(a)(24)(A) and (D) found in the Federal Register Notices applicable to Hurricanes Sally and Zeta to allow the program to serve qualified households at or below 120% Area Median Income (AMI), with a priority for applicants at or below 80% AMI.  Program eligibility based on the household’s annual total adjusted gross income for all household members age 18 and older.    

Eligible Uses of Funds

Eligible program costs include down payment assistance, interest rate buy-down, reasonable closing costs, legal services needed to help eligible residents throughout the homebuyer process, inspection services, and housing counseling costs.

Disaster Tie-Back

HAP eligibility criteria are designed to support households affected by the storms associated with DR-4563 and DR-4573. Eligible participants are renter and owner households that were residents of Baldwin County in 2020, were directly or indirectly impacted by these disasters, and are approved to purchase a home. Households that moved out of Baldwin County after the storms but are now interested in relocating back to the county are eligible to participate.