Status as of November 2026
The standing of South Carolina’s assistance programs
An account of where each South Carolina program stands today. We follow 25 in all; below you will find how many are open, which are short of funds, and the largest still accepting applications.
- 13
- accepting applications
- 9
- limited funds
- 0
- waiting list
- 3
- not open at present
The largest programs now accepting applications
| Program | Where | Assistance |
|---|---|---|
| City of Greenville Employer Assisted Homebuyer Program | Greenville County and contiguous SC counties (Anderson, Pickens, Laurens, Spartanburg, Abbeville) | Full-time: up to $50,000 (<=80% AMI), $40,000 (80-100%), $30,000 (100-120%), $20,000 (120-150%); part-time half those amounts |
| City of Sumter Affordable Homebuyer Program | City of Sumter (City-built homes) | Up to $3,000 closing-cost grant plus up to $35,000 forgivable 0% deferred gap loan |
| City of Florence North Pointe & Neighborhood Redevelopment Down-payment Assistance | City of Florence (North Pointe Subdivision; new city-built homes in North, Northwest and East Florence) | Up to $30,000 (North Pointe); case-by-case for redevelopment homes (WMBF reported $25,000 approved Feb 2026 for East Florence homes) |
| Town of Bluffton Employee Homebuyer Assistance Program | Bluffton area ZIP codes 29909 and 29910 (Beaufort County) | Up to $25,000 (<80% AMI), $20,000 (80-119%), $15,000 (120-139%), $10,000 (140%+) |
| Richland County Homeownership Assistance Program (RCHAP) | Unincorporated Richland County and Town of Blythewood | Up to $24,500 for down payment, closing costs and/or principal reduction |
| Greenville County Homebuyer Assistance Program | Greenville County outside the City of Greenville | Up to $20,000 |
| City of Spartanburg Homebuyer Assistance Program | City of Spartanburg | Up to $20,000 |
| City of Florence CDBG Target Area Down-payment Assistance | City of Florence (North, Northwest and East Florence target areas) | 20% of purchase price, up to $20,000 |
Ordered by the highest dollar figure each program publishes. Programs that pay a percentage may give more on a costlier home.
Programs closed, waitlisted or low on funds
None of these can be counted on to accept an application today. We would be glad to tell you when one reopens.
| Program | Standing | |
|---|---|---|
| Palmetto Heroes | Not open at present | |
| FHLBank Atlanta First-time Homebuyer Product (AHP Homeownership Set-aside) | Limited funds | |
| City Lender I - with Down Payment Assistance | Limited funds | |
| Lexington County Homeownership Assistance Program (HOME DPA) | Limited funds | |
| Northside Development Group Spartanburg Homebuyer Assistance | Not open at present | |
| City of Florence CDBG Target Area Down-payment Assistance | Limited funds | |
| City of Florence North Pointe & Neighborhood Redevelopment Down-payment Assistance | Limited funds | |
| City of Sumter Affordable Homebuyer Program | Limited funds | |
| City of Aiken Crosland Park home sale with DPA | Limited funds | |
| Town of Bluffton Employee Homebuyer Assistance Program | Limited funds | |
| Northside Development Group 'Local Heroes' DPA (Spartanburg Northside) | Not open at present | |
| FHLBank Atlanta Community Partners Product | Limited funds |
The kinds of help on offer
| Form of help | Number of programs |
|---|---|
| Forgivable second loan | 19 |
| Reduced interest rate | 2 |
| Deferred loan, repaid on sale | 2 |
| unknown | 1 |
In South Carolina, assistance more often takes the form of a loan than a gift. A forgivable loan falls away if you remain in the home long enough; a deferred loan is repaid when you sell or refinance. Our repayment calculator shows what an early sale would cost.
