Statewide (through FHLBank Atlanta member lenders)

FHLBank Atlanta Community Partners Product for South Carolina teachers, first responders and veterans

Q: Can a repeat buyer use the Community Partners Product?

Yes. It is open to first-time and repeat buyers who are in an eligible occupation and at or below 80% AMI.

Q: Do retired police officers qualify?

Yes. Current and retired law enforcement officers are on the eligible list, along with educators, health care workers, firefighters, first responders, veterans, active-duty service members and surviving spouses.

Q: What if the funds are gone?

The set-aside is first-come and can run out each year. SC Housing's year-round Homebuyer Program, with $10,000 in forgivable DPA, does not depend on this pool.

Educators, law enforcement, firefighters, health care workers, veterans and military families at or below 80% AMI can get up to $20,000 in forgivable help for 2026, and repeat buyers are allowed.

FHLBank Atlanta Community Partners Product

Limited funds

Statewide (through FHLBank Atlanta member lenders)

Intended for: Current/retired law enforcement, educators, health care workers, firefighters and other first responders; veterans, active-duty military or surviving spouses; first-time and repeat buyers, <=80% AMI
Assistance: Up to $20,000 (2026)
Form of help: Forgivable second loan

Buyer minimum $1,000; annual set-aside funds can run out. Likely layerable with SC Housing DPA per SC Housing's Made It Home! guidance, subject to lender approval.

Reviewed November 2026 · our standards

Ask whether I qualify

So that you are not caught unaware. FHLBank Atlanta Community Partners Product depends on limited funds that may run short. We can tell you when a new allotment is released.

What is the Community Partners Product?

It is the occupation-based slice of FHLBank Atlanta's homeownership set-aside. A member lender requests the subsidy for you when you close, and for 2026 it tops out at $20,000. The help is forgivable, and because it is funded once a year on a first-come basis, a lender may tell you the pool is empty late in the year.

While Palmetto Heroes is closed for 2026, this is the most direct "hero" benefit still available statewide for people in these jobs.

Which jobs and buyers are eligible?

Current or retired law enforcement officers
Educators
Health care workers
Firefighters and other first responders
Veterans, active-duty military and surviving spouses

You need household income at or below 80% of area median, and you must bring at least $1,000 of your own money. Unlike FHLBank's First-time Homebuyer Product, repeat buyers can use this one. See how your job is treated in our teacher, law enforcement and military pages.

Pairing it with SC Housing

SC Housing's Made It Home! guidance says FHLBank down payment money may be layered behind SC Housing assistance, with lender approval. That makes this a likely companion to the SC Housing Homebuyer Program's $10,000, or to Palmetto Heroes when a new round opens. Whether it also fits with a city or county program is something a participating lender confirms.

Who gets the most out of it? A veteran or surviving spouse who already owned a home years ago is a good example, because repeat buyers are excluded from many other programs but not this one. Retired officers and educators also qualify, which is uncommon. The trade-off is income: the 80% AMI ceiling is lower than the SC Housing Homebuyer Program's county limits, so higher-earning households in these jobs may need to rely on the state program alone, or wait for Palmetto Heroes to reopen.

Steps to use it

Ask lenders whether they are FHLBank Atlanta members and still hold 2026 Community Partners funds.
Have proof of your job or service ready (employer letter, DD-214 or similar, as the lender asks).
Confirm income against 80% AMI for your county.
Keep $1,000 or more of your own funds for closing.

HUD and other hero discounts are compared in our hero discounts guide. Find local options in the county guides, or check eligibility.

Questions about FHLBank Atlanta Community Partners Product

Can a repeat buyer use the Community Partners Product?

Yes. It is open to first-time and repeat buyers who are in an eligible occupation and at or below 80% AMI.

Do retired police officers qualify?

Yes. Current and retired law enforcement officers are on the eligible list, along with educators, health care workers, firefighters, first responders, veterans, active-duty service members and surviving spouses.

What if the funds are gone?

The set-aside is first-come and can run out each year. SC Housing's year-round Homebuyer Program, with $10,000 in forgivable DPA, does not depend on this pool.

Ask whether I qualify for this program

Programs you may also wish to read about

City of Greenville Employer Assisted Homebuyer Program Greenville County and contiguous SC counties (Anderson, Pickens, Laurens, Spartanburg, Abbeville)
City of Goose Creek Employer Assisted Homebuyer Program City of Goose Creek (Berkeley County)
Town of Bluffton Employee Homebuyer Assistance Program Bluffton area ZIP codes 29909 and 29910 (Beaufort County)
Beaufort Memorial Employer Assisted Housing Program Within 15 miles of a Beaufort Memorial campus or practice (Beaufort/Jasper counties)
Prisma Health Employer Assisted Housing Program Within 10 miles of a Prisma Health campus or practice (Upstate)
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System Employee Homebuyer Assistance Within 15 miles of a Spartanburg Regional campus

Our account follows the official program page as of November 2026. Funds and rules can change, so please confirm the present terms with the program or a participating lender. South Carolina Down Payment Assistance has no connection with this program.