Dauphin County program assisted 124 first-time homebuyers in 2018

Dauphin County’s First-Time Homebuyers Program assisted 124 residents in 2018, reflecting a record-high in the history of the program.

The program provides qualified homebuyers with up to $3,000 in loan assistance to use as a down payment or for closing costs. First-time buyers and people who have not owned a home in the last three years are eligible. The home must be their primary residence, and they must meet income-eligibility guidelines.

Home ownership is one of the best ways to keep neighborhoods strong and blight-free, board Chairman Jeff Haste said.

“We’re committed to making the American dream of homeownership easier to reach for everyone,” County Commissioner Mike Pries, who oversees the Community and Economic Development Department, said. “By helping hard-working residents buy a home and start building up equity, we’re also assisting them in taking the first steps toward financial security.”

The department manages the homebuyers program. It is funded through a $13 affordable housing fee added to mortgages and deeds recorded in the county.

Funds from the program are repaid when a home is sold or refinanced. Last year, $158,266 was recuperated.

Of the residents helped last year, 45 purchased homes in Harrisburg. This month, 10 mortgages are closing.

Since 2010, 878 county residents purchased their first home with the program’s assistance.