How it works
Riverside County PLHA is funded through California's Permanent Local Housing Allocation — state Housing and Community Development (HCD) dollars permanently allocated to local jurisdictions for housing programs. Riverside County has deployed its PLHA allocation into a direct down-payment-assistance product that is arguably the most attractive county-level DPA in Southern California in 2026.
Three features make it stand out. First, the 30-year forgiveness structure: borrowers who remain in the home for 30 years owe nothing — the silent second fully forgives and effectively converts to a grant. Second, the 120% AMI income ceiling is meaningfully higher than CalHFA MyHome's 80% cap, putting the program within reach of dual-earner Riverside households. Third, Riverside HWS runs PLHA on a first-come basis through participating lenders, not via reservation batch or lottery — borrowers who are pre-approved can close on a normal timeline.
The best-fit borrower is a Riverside County first-time buyer earning $80K-$125K planning a long-term hold in the home (10+ years). The stack looks like this: CalHFA or FHA first mortgage + MyHome 3.5% down + PLHA up to $100K silent second + MCC federal tax credit. Out-of-pocket often drops to $3K-$5K on a $500K-$650K purchase.
The catch for short-term holders: forgiveness is time-weighted. A 5-year mover loses most of the subsidy through prorated payback. PLHA is structurally a long-term-hold program — position accordingly.
Who it's for
Riverside County first-time buyers earning up to 120% AMI planning a long-term hold. The 30-year forgiveness makes this one of the most valuable DPA structures in SoCal for borrowers who stay put.
Eligibility at a glance
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- FTB definition
- Has not owned in past 3 years.
- Minimum FICO
- 640
- Income limit
- At or below 120% Riverside County AMI. 2025 chart (effective through July 1, 2026): family of 4 at $124,680. July 2026 HUD refresh pending.
- Homebuyer education
- HUD-approved 8-hour course required.
Repayment terms
30-year forgivable silent second. 0% interest, no monthly payment. Fully forgives at 30 years of continuous owner-occupancy — effectively converts to a grant for buyers who stay long term. Borrowers who sell or refinance before 30 years repay the remaining prorated balance.
Term
30 years
Interest
0% (deferred)
Due at
Forgiven at 30-year maturity; prorated payback if sold/refinanced sooner
Property rules
- Eligible property types
- Single-family residence, Condo, Townhome
- Maximum purchase price
- Program-specific price formulas — check HWS chart.
- Owner-occupancy required
- 30 years
Layering & first mortgage options
How to apply
Process: First-come, first-served through participating-lender network. Supervisor Perez has dedicated $1M to the program in recent cycles — solid political backing.
Funding cycle: Active for 2026 — among the most reliably-funded county DPAs in California.
Typical timeline: 45-60 days.
Things that trip borrowers up
- 5-year mover loses most of the subsidy — the forgiveness schedule is time-weighted. Disclose clearly.
- Program-specific geography within Riverside County — confirm property eligibility before writing offer.
- Reserves usually tight at 120% AMI — underwriter scrutiny on DTI and residual income.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens to PLHA if I sell in 10 years?
- Forgiveness is prorated over the 30-year term. At year 10, roughly 1/3 of the assistance has been earned — you would repay approximately 2/3 of the original principal at sale or refinance. The exact proration schedule is set in the loan documents.
- Does PLHA work in all of Riverside County?
- Coverage varies by program geography within the county. Check with Riverside HWS for the specific property address before writing an offer. PLHA is separate from the county's ARPA FTHB program (which is limited to Supervisorial District 5).
- Can I combine PLHA with CalHFA MyHome?
- Yes. PLHA stacks with CalHFA first mortgages, MyHome, ZIP, and the MCC. The four-way stack is one of the most powerful DPA combinations in California.