Program details reviewed November 2026By telephone: (800) 555-0100
South Carolina Down Payment AssistanceA careful guide for first-time buyers in the Palmetto State
A note on timingPalmetto Heroes is closed for 2026 and no 2027 dates are announced. The year-round SC Housing Homebuyer Program still offers $10,000 in forgivable down payment help.Review my eligibility

Palmetto Heroes · Law enforcement and correctional officers

Home buying help for South Carolina law enforcement

SC police, DNR, TSA, parole and correctional officers: Palmetto Heroes status for 2027 and year-round $10,000 forgivable DPA from SC Housing.

Who is included

The 2026 Palmetto Heroes list covered police officers, DNR officers and game wardens, TSA officers, parole officers, SC Department of Corrections and SC Department of Juvenile Justice correctional officers, and state, county or municipal detention center officers.

Your lending partner confirms how your employment is verified.

Palmetto Heroes is SC Housing's seasonal program for educators, licensed medical workers, first responders and military: $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance plus a lower fixed rate on a 30-year SC Housing mortgage. The 2026 round closed April 13, 2026 and no 2027 dates have been announced. Between rounds, the year-round SC Housing Homebuyer Program offers the same $10,000 forgivable assistance.

Corrections and detention staff

The list reaches beyond patrol officers. SCDC and DJJ correctional officers and detention center officers at the state, county and city level were all named in 2026.

Federal roles

TSA officers were on the 2026 list. If you hold another federal law enforcement job, ask a lender to check it against the current guide, or use the year-round Homebuyer Program, which has no job rule.

Papers to have at hand

  • Proof of your law enforcement or corrections role your lender requests
  • Pay stubs and tax documents
  • Proof you finished the homebuyer education course
  • An executed sales contract, once you find a home

Questions often asked

Do detention center officers qualify?

Yes. State, county and municipal detention center officers were on the 2026 list.

Are game wardens included?

Yes. DNR officers and game wardens were on the 2026 list.

Do I have to buy where I work?

SC Housing's job list doesn't tie you to your employer's county, but the income limit and first-time buyer rule are set by the county where you buy.

Other eligible professions