Down payment assistance in Chesterfield County, VA: what's available and where to start

Chesterfield sits between Henrico and Hanover when it comes to homebuying help. The county does put its own federal housing money into down payment assistance, but the program is small, so most buyers end up combining it with nonprofit, state and federal options. Here's what's available, who it's for, and how to start.

The short version#

Program	Run by	Mainly for	How you start
County first-time homebuyer assistance	Chesterfield County, through HOME of VA	First-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income	HOME's online application
State-funded assistance	HOME of VA (state HOME funds)	The same buyers, if county money runs out	The same application
DHCD down payment assistance	Virginia DHCD, through HOME of VA or Petersburg's housing authority	First-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income	A local provider
Land trust homes	Maggie Walker Community Land Trust	Buyers under 80% or 115% of area median income	An information session
Habitat and project:HOMES homes	Richmond Metro Habitat, project:HOMES	Lower-income households	A call or an application
USDA home loans	U.S. Department of Agriculture	Low- and moderate-income buyers in eligible areas	Check the address
Free counseling	HOME of VA, Commonwealth Catholic Charities and others	Anyone working on credit, debt or savings	An intake form or a call

To see which programs may match a particular home, run the free down payment help check. Every program here is also in the Chesterfield program guide.

What "80% of area median income" means in Chesterfield#

Chesterfield uses the same Richmond-area income figures as the city, Henrico and Hanover. HOME of VA's 2025 table puts 80% of area median income (AMI) at $63,600 for one person, $72,650 for two, $81,750 for three and $90,800 for four. Each program counts income its own way, so check with the one you're applying to.

Chesterfield County's first-time homebuyer assistance#

Chesterfield gets federal housing money from HUD each year and awards part of it to HOME of VA (Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia) for down payment and closing cost help. The county doesn't run a program of its own; HOME is where you apply.

Who it's for, per HOME's brochure:

• first-time buyers purchasing in Chesterfield (you don't have to live there now)
• at least $40,000 a year in combined household income, under the 80% AMI limit
• no outstanding judgments or collections
• at least two years past any bankruptcy discharge

What you get: help with your down payment and closing costs, based on your need. HOME says each program's maximum is set yearly by its funder and ranges from $7,500 to $20,000. Typically you don't pay it back, as long as you keep living in the home through the affordability period, which is usually five years and can be 10 or 15 for larger amounts. Most funders also want at least $1,000, or 1% of the price, from you.

The catch: it's small. The county's 2026 action plan sets aside about $128,000 for the program, for five or six first-time buyers a year. Apply early, and ask HOME whether county money is available when you do.

If the county money runs out, HOME also runs a program paid for with state HOME funds, and it covers Chesterfield too. You apply the same way.

How it works: apply online, which takes up to about 10 business days. Then take HOME's homebuyer education course (required even if you've taken one elsewhere), send your documents, and meet your counselor. HOME says it takes at least 45 days after that meeting to get the money. See HOME of VA's homeownership page.

DHCD down payment assistance#

Virginia's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) funds a down payment program for first-time buyers at or below 80% of AMI. DHCD describes it as up to 10% of the price (15% in approved areas) plus up to $2,500 for closing costs, with a $40,000 maximum. In Chesterfield, DHCD's August 2026 provider list names two places to apply: HOME of VA and the Petersburg Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

Two things to know:

• The price is capped. DHCD's limit for Chesterfield, effective December 2025, is $338,000 for an existing home and $392,000 for a new one. That rules out a lot of the county's housing, so ask your provider about the limit before you shop.
• DHCD's other program, its pilot for buyers at or below 60% of AMI, didn't list a Chesterfield administrator on its March 2026 list. Ask DHCD before counting on it here.

See DHCD's down payment assistance page.

Homes sold below market#

• Maggie Walker Community Land Trust. Chesterfield has partnered with the land trust since 2018. Its homes sell below market because the trust keeps the land under a long-term lease, and the price you can resell for is limited so the home stays affordable. Some homes are for buyers at or below 80% of AMI and others go up to 115%. Start with an information session. See MWCLT's Chesterfield page.
• Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity serves Chesterfield, and the county's 2026 plan funds it to build a new home here. You put in 200 hours of sweat equity and get a mortgage Habitat says won't exceed 30% of your gross income. See Habitat's homeownership page.
• project:HOMES is best known for home repairs, but it also builds and renovates homes for sale to buyers at or below 80% of AMI. The county's plan lists a project:HOMES development planned in Ettrick. Call (804) 233-2827 to ask what's available. See project:HOMES' affordable housing page.

USDA home loans in southern Chesterfield#

Most of Chesterfield is too developed for USDA's rural home loans, but not all of it. When we checked USDA's eligibility map, addresses in Ettrick and along Winterpock Road came back eligible, while addresses in Midlothian, Chester and the Courthouse Road area didn't. Eligibility follows the map, not the ZIP code, so check the exact address.

• Direct loans are made by USDA itself, for low- and very-low-income households, with payment assistance that lowers your monthly payment based on income. If you sell or move out, some of that assistance may have to be repaid.
• Guaranteed loans go through regular lenders and cover moderate incomes in the same areas.

Start with USDA's eligibility map.

State programs#

• Virginia Housing, the state's housing finance agency, offers grants, a second mortgage, the SPARC rate reduction and a free homebuyer course, all through approved lenders. For current terms and limits, see Virginia Housing's homebuyer pages.
• VIDA matches what you save toward a down payment for Virginia residents at or below 80% of AMI who plan to buy within 4 to 24 months. SCDHC lists a match of $10 for every $1 you save, up to $10,000. See SCDHC's Homeownership Center.

If you're not ready yet#

If your credit, debt or savings need work first, start with free counseling. HOME of VA's counselors work with you before you apply for its assistance, and Commonwealth Catholic Charities offers one-on-one housing and financial counseling in person in Richmond and virtually. For what counseling covers and how to get the most from it, see free credit and homebuyer counseling in Richmond.

The order to do things in#

1. See what may fit. Run the down payment help check on a home or area you're considering.
2. Apply to HOME of VA early. County money is limited, and the education and counseling come first.
3. Know the price caps. DHCD's limits and each program's own limits decide which homes you can use the money on.
4. Check USDA eligibility for any address in southern Chesterfield.
5. Pick a lender who works with the programs you want. Not every lender does. You're free to choose any lender.
6. Get assistance approved before you sign, and name the program in your contract so the timeline accounts for it.

Program details change often and funding can run out. Everything here comes from each program's own website and published materials, Chesterfield County's 2026 action plan, DHCD's published lists and limits, and USDA's eligibility map, as of the date below. Confirm with the program before you rely on it. Martin Kurylowski and Real Broker, LLC are not lenders or administrators of any assistance program.