Employee Down Payment Assistance Program 

The Employee Down Payment Assistance Program is an employee benefit open to all full-time, County of San Mateo and Housing Authority employees. The program is designed to encourage County and Housing Authority employees to live in the County, decreasing the environmental impact and the physical/emotional effects of a long commute.

The program offers a $100,000 loan (second mortgage) towards the purchase of a home in San Mateo County. The loan is deferred for the first, five years amortized for 30 years at three percent interest (3%). The County also offers a $5,000 grant to help cover closing costs, if moving to San Mateo County from outside the County.

(For County residents or those interested in First Time Homebuyers Programs, please check out our website: https://housing.smcgov.org/first-time-homebuyer-programs)

ELIGIBLITY

  • County of San Mateo or Housing Authority employee; and
  • Currently, full-time, permanent employee for at least 18 months; and
  • No income restrictions and cannot currently own a home in San Mateo County; and
  • Pre-Approval letter from San Mateo Credit Union (required).

DRAWING

All eligible applicants, with the required pre-approval letter from San Mateo Credit Union, will have their names included in the drawing. For this upcoming drawing, five names will be drawn.

The next drawing: TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024

WEBINAR

The County will host several Employee Down Payment Assistance Program “Lunch and Learn” seminars. Virtual Zoom seminars will be hosted on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, February 6th – Noon-1 p.m.
  • Wednesday, February 21st – Noon-1 p.m.
  • Monday, March 4th – Noon- 1 p.m.

For the attendee link, please check the County’s Intranet site and the County’s “Upcoming Events”: https://smcgov.sharepoint.com/Pages/intra_home.aspx or to receive the attendee link, please contact Nila Kim at nhkim@smcgov.org

For additional information about the program, please see the PDFs below.

If you have additional questions or would like a departmental presentation, please contact Nila Kim at nhkim@smchousing.org or via phone at (650) 802-5002.