Last reviewed: July 2026
Homeownership can feel like a conversation written for someone with a traditional paycheck, uncomplicated housing needs and plenty of money saved.
But Colorado offers a mortgage program specifically for people living with permanent disabilities, along with certain custodial parents and legal guardians. It is called CHFA HomeAccess, and many of the households it could help may never encounter a clear explanation of how it works.
CHFA HomeAccess Plus may also provide up to $25,000 through a zero-interest deferred second mortgage. Depending on the transaction, that assistance may help with a down payment, closing costs, prepaid expenses, principal reduction or even a permanent interest-rate buydown.
It is not a grant. It is not automatic approval. But for the right Colorado household, it may change which homebuying questions are worth asking.
Quick Answer
CHFA HomeAccess is a Colorado mortgage program for certain borrowers living with a permanent disability, as well as qualifying custodial parents and legal guardians. HomeAccess Plus adds up to $25,000 through a zero-interest deferred second mortgage with no required monthly payment. The money may be used for approved homebuying costs, including a permanent rate buydown. The balance must be repaid when the home is sold, refinanced, paid off or no longer used as the primary residence. Final eligibility depends on the full mortgage file and current CHFA requirements.
Who This May Matter To
This program may be worth exploring if:
- You are a Colorado homebuyer living with a permanent disability
- You are a custodial parent of a child living with a permanent disability
- You are a legal guardian of a child or adult dependent living with a permanent disability
Meeting one of these pathways does not mean automatic mortgage approval. Credit, income, debts, property rules and current CHFA requirements still apply.
Why So Few Colorado Buyers Hear About CHFA HomeAccess
The program is real. The consumer path into it is difficult to see.
CHFA publishes detailed HomeAccess rules through professional program matrices, guides and forms. Those materials are accurate, but they are not an easy starting point for a household asking, "Could this help us buy a home?"
CHFA's consumer-facing information does not provide a simple, dedicated path into HomeAccess. Many potential buyers may never learn the program's name or understand where to begin.
Who CHFA HomeAccess Was Designed to Serve
HomeAccess may provide a path through three household situations:
- A borrower personally living with a permanent disability
- A custodial parent with sole or joint custody of a child living with a permanent disability
- A legal guardian caring for a child or dependent living with a permanent disability
In the parent and guardian pathways, the person living with the disability generally must occupy the home at least 50% of the time. Confirm custody, guardianship and occupancy documentation before submitting private records.
Credit, income, debts, property standards and the underlying FHA, VA or USDA Rural Development rules still apply.
For a real, city-specific walkthrough of how HomeAccess fits alongside local down payment help and a post-closing repair grant, see our guide to financing and modifying an accessible home in Aurora.
HomeAccess Is the Mortgage. HomeAccess Plus Adds the Assistance.
| CHFA HomeAccess | CHFA HomeAccess Plus |
|---|---|
| FHA, VA or USDA-RD first mortgage | The same first mortgage plus up to $25,000 in assistance |
| No CHFA second mortgage | Includes a 0% deferred second mortgage |
| No additional CHFA lien | Adds a second lien that must be repaid later |
| Best for buyers who do not need CHFA assistance | May help with down payment, closing costs, prepaid expenses, principal reduction or a permanent interest-rate buydown |
In simple terms: HomeAccess gives you the mortgage. HomeAccess Plus gives you the mortgage and adds the optional assistance.
A buyer who has enough cash for the purchase may prefer HomeAccess without a second lien. A buyer who needs help with approved costs may consider HomeAccess Plus.
The $25,000 Can Do More Than Cover a Down Payment
HomeAccess Plus assistance may be used for:
- A down payment
- Closing costs
- Prepaid taxes or insurance
- Principal reduction
- A permanent interest-rate buydown
That last option deserves attention in today's rate environment.
Could HomeAccess Plus Permanently Lower the Mortgage Rate?
A permanent buydown uses discount points to reduce the interest rate on the first mortgage for the life of that loan. This differs from a temporary 2-1 buydown, which lowers the payment only during the first few years.
A VA or USDA borrower may need little or no down payment. Depending on the transaction, more assistance could go toward closing costs, prepaids or discount points that permanently reduce the rate.
A buydown is not automatically the best use of the money. Ask for a clear comparison showing:
- The cost of the points
- The actual rate reduction
- The estimated monthly savings
- The break-even period
- How long you would need to keep the mortgage
"Up to $25,000" is a maximum, not a guaranteed amount. The actual amount used depends on the transaction.
The Assistance Has No Monthly Payment, but It Must Be Repaid
HomeAccess Plus is best understood as a zero-interest deferred second mortgage.
There is no required monthly payment and no interest accrues. But the debt does not disappear after five years, ten years or any other period.
The outstanding balance becomes due when:
- The home is sold
- The first mortgage is paid off
- The first mortgage is refinanced
- The property stops being the borrower's primary residence
The refinance rule is especially important. The HomeAccess Plus second mortgage cannot simply remain behind a new first mortgage. If the borrower later refinances, the second mortgage must be repaid in full as part of that transaction.
No monthly payment does not mean no repayment.
The buyer should understand both the benefit today and the obligation later.
You Do Not Have to Be a First-Time Buyer
HomeAccess and HomeAccess Plus are not restricted to first-time homebuyers.
A repeat buyer may explore the program, and CHFA rules may allow a borrower to hold an interest in one other residential property at closing, subject to the underlying FHA, VA or USDA-RD requirements. The borrower may only have one CHFA-financed property at a time.
Many buyers wrongly assume disability-focused assistance is only for first-time buyers and stop before the first conversation.
What Documentation May Be Required
CHFA's Seller's Guide identifies three primary ways to document the permanent-disability requirement:
- A current SSI or SSDI award letter dated within the most recent 12 months
- A current Social Security Administration letter acknowledging eligibility for benefits due to a permanent disability
- A physician letter, on professional letterhead, stating that the borrower or the borrower's child has a permanent disability as defined by Social Security Administration standards
A diagnosis or statement written on a prescription pad is not accepted.
A Social Security benefit verification letter is available through a personal my Social Security account. Confirm exactly what is required before submitting medical, custody or guardianship records. The goal is proof, not an unnecessary medical history.
Before You Apply, Confirm These Four Things
Before submitting an application or private documents, confirm:
- Whether HomeAccess or HomeAccess Plus is currently available for your situation
- Which disability, custody or guardianship documents will be required
- How disability income will be evaluated under the selected FHA, VA or USDA-RD loan
- How much assistance may be used and what would trigger repayment later
Getting these answers first can prevent unnecessary paperwork and reduce the chance of discovering a major program limitation late in the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CHFA HomeAccess Plus a grant?
No. It is a zero-interest deferred second mortgage with no required monthly payment. The balance must eventually be repaid when a repayment trigger occurs.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
No. HomeAccess and HomeAccess Plus are not restricted to first-time homebuyers.
Can a parent or legal guardian use the program?
Potentially. Certain custodial parents and legal guardians may use it when the child or dependent living with a permanent disability meets the occupancy and documentation requirements.
Can the assistance be used to lower the mortgage rate?
Yes. A permanent interest-rate buydown is one permitted use. The cost, rate reduction and break-even period depend on current mortgage pricing and the specific transaction.
Does disability income count toward mortgage qualification?
It may. Treatment of SSDI, SSI, VA disability compensation or other disability income depends on the underlying FHA, VA or USDA-RD loan and current underwriting rules.
Start With the Questions, Not the Application
CHFA HomeAccess may offer a meaningful homebuying path, but the safest first move is not filling out the first form you find.
Confirm that HomeAccess is the program being evaluated. Understand the difference between HomeAccess and HomeAccess Plus. Ask how the assistance could be used and what would trigger repayment later.
Hero HomeReach can help you organize those questions and prepare for a more informed next step. Hero HomeReach does not determine program eligibility or provide mortgage approval. Final eligibility and loan terms depend on the full financial file and current CHFA requirements.
Official Sources: For the full HomeAccess and HomeAccess Plus program matrix, visit CHFA's HomeAccess Program Matrix. For documentation standards, see CHFA's Seller's Guide. To request a benefit verification letter, visit the Social Security Administration.
Hero HomeReach is an educational resource. It is not a mortgage company, government agency or financial adviser.
Accessibility note: Hero HomeReach welcomes feedback about screen-reader compatibility, image descriptions, language clarity and other accessibility improvements.
For Colorado Community Organizations
Hero HomeReach created this guide as a plain-English educational resource for Colorado individuals, families and caregivers. Community organizations may share this article with the people they serve.
We also welcome corrections, accessibility feedback and suggestions for future explainers, especially around disability documentation, custody, guardianship and the HomeAccess application experience.