How it works
MyAccess is the less-known sibling of MyHome. Where MyHome caps at 3-3.5%, MyAccess adds another 2.5% on top when the first mortgage is a CalPLUS Access variant. The combined MyHome + MyAccess stack delivers up to 5.5% of deferred DPA on a single CalHFA file — meaningfully more than MyHome alone and without the lottery constraint of Dream For All.
MyAccess filled part of the gap left by the discontinued Forgivable Equity Builder Loan (exhausted 2022, never refunded). For borrowers who need more than MyHome can provide and either missed the Dream For All lottery or can't wait for the next cycle, MyAccess is the best always-on path to 5.5% combined DPA.
Structurally, MyAccess mirrors MyHome: silent deferred second, 1% simple interest, 30-year deferral, paid at sale/refi/end of owner-occupancy. The only meaningful constraint is that it must layer on a CalPLUS Access first mortgage (not standard CalHFA FHA or standard CalPLUS) — which carries its own rate premium the borrower pays for monthly.
Who it's for
CalHFA first-time buyers who need MORE than the 3-3.5% MyHome alone can provide but don't qualify for (or can't wait for) Dream For All.
Eligibility at a glance
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- FTB definition
- Has not owned and occupied a primary residence in the past 3 years.
- Minimum FICO
- 660
- Maximum DTI
- 45%
- Income limit
- Same CalHFA county income limit chart as MyHome and CalPLUS Access first mortgages.
- Homebuyer education
- 8-hour eHome or HUD-approved equivalent.
- Minimum borrower contribution
- None required.
Repayment terms
Silent second mortgage. 1% simple interest accrues annually. Deferred for 30 years or until sale, refinance, or cessation of owner-occupancy.
Term
30 years
Interest
1.00%
Due at
Sale, refinance, payoff, or 30-year maturity
Property rules
- Eligible property types
- Single-family residence, FHA-approved condo, Double-wide manufactured (HUD)
- Maximum purchase price
- CalHFA sales-price limit chart (county-specific).
- Owner-occupancy required
- 30 years
Layering & first mortgage options
Works with these first mortgages: CalPLUS Access FHA, CalPLUS Access Conventional
MyAccess ONLY layers on CalPLUS Access first mortgages — a specific flavor of CalPLUS that includes MyAccess eligibility. MyAccess + MyHome + ZIP + MCC on a CalPLUS Access file is the maximum CalHFA stack outside Dream For All.
Cannot combine with
How to apply
Process: Reserved through a CalHFA-approved lender at the time of CalPLUS Access first-mortgage lock.
Funding cycle: Continuous.
Typical timeline: 30-45 days from reservation to close.
Things that trip borrowers up
- MyAccess only pairs with CalPLUS Access — not standard CalPLUS or standalone CalHFA FHA. Lock the correct first-mortgage product at reservation.
- Combined MyHome + MyAccess at 1% simple interest each = up to 5.5% of principal plus accruing interest. Over 30 years, a $650K purchase accrues roughly $11K of interest across both DPAs.
- Not all CalHFA-approved lenders are MyAccess-approved separately. Verify at the AE before quoting.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between MyHome and MyAccess?
- MyHome gives you 3-3.5% of purchase price as a deferred second. MyAccess adds another 2.5% on top. Together they deliver 5.5-6% of combined deferred DPA. You can't take MyAccess without MyHome, and both require a CalPLUS Access first mortgage.
- Can I use MyAccess with Dream For All?
- No. Dream For All replaces the entire MyHome/MyAccess/ZIP stack. You pick one path: Dream For All OR the MyHome-anchored stack.