The City of Greenville Employer Assisted Homebuyer Program is open to full-time or permanent part-time City employees with at least a year of service in good standing, and that explicitly includes the Greenville Police and Fire departments. Full-time staff can receive up to $50,000 at or below 80% AMI, $40,000 from 80% to 100%, $30,000 from 100% to 120% and $20,000 from 120% to 150%. Part-time staff get half. You need to be a first-time buyer or not have owned in 3 years, and CommunityWorks administers it with a 30-year fixed mortgage, a $500 minimum investment, homebuyer education and a payment at or below 35% of income. The home doesn't have to be inside city limits. It can be anywhere in Greenville County or in Anderson, Pickens, Laurens, Spartanburg or Abbeville counties.
What if I don't work for the City?
This is where Greenville differs from its suburbs. The Greenville County Homebuyer Assistance Program (up to $20,000) is for addresses outside the City of Greenville, so a city-limits address is ineligible. Buyers in Greer, Mauldin, Simpsonville or Fountain Inn can use it, and buyers in the city cannot.
Inside the city, the main paths are statewide and employer-based. Prisma Health staff within 10 miles of a campus or practice can check that employer program. SC Housing's year-round Homebuyer Program adds $10,000 in forgivable DPA under Greenville County's $106,400 / $122,360 limits and its 3-year first-time rule, and Greenville County Schools teachers fit the Palmetto Heroes educator list when a new round opens. Details are in the Greenville County guide.
Assistance offered by Greenville
Greenville County and contiguous SC counties (Anderson, Pickens, Laurens, Spartanburg, Abbeville)
- Intended for
- City of Greenville full-time or permanent part-time employees with 1+ year of service in good standing (includes Greenville Police and Fire); first-time or no home in 3 years
- Assistance
- 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
- Form of help
- Forgivable second loan
Administered by CommunityWorks; 30-year fixed mortgage, $500 minimum investment, homebuyer education, payment <=35% of income. Strong angle for Greenville police officers and firefighters.
Reviewed November 2026 · our standards
Read our full accountAsk whether I qualifyStatewide choices
Buyers in Greenville may also turn to 5 statewide programs, Palmetto Heroes among them. You will find each one in the complete South Carolina list, or our program match can sort them for you.
The county guide: Greenville County
Homebuyer classes near Greenville County
Nearly every assistance program asks you to complete a homebuyer class before closing. The HUD-approved agencies below, each within reach of Greenville County, teach that class or offer counseling before purchase.
| Agency | Location | Miles away | Offered | Languages | How it is taught |
|---|
| Greenville County Human Relations Commission | Greenville | 4 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Face to Face, Phone, Internet |
| Regenesis Community Development Corporation F/K/A Upstate Housing Partnership | Spartanburg | 26 mi | homebuyer education class, pre-purchase counseling | English | Phone |
Taken from HUD’s list of housing counseling agencies. A given program may not accept every class.
Unsure which class will count? A loan officer who offers South Carolina programs can tell you, and can begin your pre-approval at the same time.
Begin my eligibility review
Questions about Greenville
Can I use the Greenville County grant for a home in the city?
No. The county program says City of Greenville addresses are ineligible. It covers the rest of Greenville County.
Do Greenville police officers qualify for the City employee program?
Yes. It covers full-time and permanent part-time City employees with at least 1 year of service, including Greenville Police and Fire.
Does a City employee have to buy inside Greenville?
No. The home can be in Greenville County or in the contiguous Anderson, Pickens, Laurens, Spartanburg or Abbeville counties.
