Local Housing Trust Funds
🏛 Department of Housing and Community Development (California)
Can you apply?
This grant is for Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTFs) in California to finance affordable housing and shelter projects. Existing LHTFs must request a minimum of $1 million; new LHTFs (non-regional) must request $500,000; new regional LHTFs must request $750,000. All applicants cannot exceed $5 million per request. Projects must serve extremely low-income, lower-income, or moderate-income households, with at least 30% of funds directed to households at or below 30% of Area Median Income.
Eligible uses include construction and permanent financing loans (up to 3% interest) for affordable rental housing, emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, homebuyer projects, owner-occupied rehabilitation, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). Administrative expenses cannot exceed 5% of total funds.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
This grant is for Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTFs) in California to finance affordable housing and shelter projects. Existing LHTFs must request a minimum of $1 million; new LHTFs (non-regional) must request $500,000; new regional LHTFs must request $750,000. All applicants cannot exceed $5 million per request. Projects must serve extremely low-income, lower-income, or moderate-income households, with at least 30% of funds directed to households at or below 30% of Area Median Income.
Eligible uses include construction and permanent financing loans (up to 3% interest) for affordable rental housing, emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, homebuyer projects, owner-occupied rehabilitation, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). Administrative expenses cannot exceed 5% of total funds.
Program description
Program Funds awarded under this NOFA shall be used to provide construction loans and/or permanent financing loans at simple interest rates of no higher than three percent per annum, for payment of predevelopment costs, acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation as well as to construct, convert, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and/or repair Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) or Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). Eligible activities Pursuant to Guidelines, Section 105, the LHTF funds shall be allocated in compliance with all of the following: 1. To provide construction loans and/or permanent financing loans at simple interest rates of no higher than three percent per annum, for payment of predevelopment costs, acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation associated with Affordable rental housing projects, Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, homebuyer/homeowner projects to purchase for-sale housing units or to rehabilitate an owner-occupied dwelling. Funds may also be used for the construction, conversion, repair, and rehabilitation of Accessory Dwelling Units or Junior Accessory Dwelling Units. 2. Administrative expenses may not exceed five percent of program Program Funds and Matching Funds.3. A minimum of 30 percent of program Program Funds and Matching Funds, after deducting administrative expense, shall be expended on assistance to Extremely Low-Income Households. To comply with this requirement, dwelling units or shelter beds must be Affordable to and restricted for Extremely Low-Income Households with household income of no more than 30 percent of Area Median Income (AMI). 4. No more than 20 percent of the program Program Funds and Matching Funds, after deducting administrative expense, shall be expended on assistance to Moderate-Income Households. To comply with this requirement, dwelling units must be Affordable to and restricted for Moderate-Income Households with household income of no more than 120 percent of AMI. 5. The remaining program Program Funds and Matching Funds shall be expended on assistance to Lower-Income Households. To comply with this requirement, dwelling units must be Affordable to and restricted for Lower-Income Households with household income of no more than 80 percent AMI. Funding Activity requirements Limits Pursuant to Guidelines, Section 103, the funding minimums, and maximums apply as detailed below:-The minimum application request by an Applicant that is an existing Existing Local Housing Trust Fund shall be $1 million. -The minimum application request by an Applicant that is a new New Local Housing Trust Fund, but which is not a Regional Housing Trust Fund, shall be $500,000.-The minimum application request by an Applicant that is a new New Local Housing Trust Fund, which is also a Regional Housing Trust Fund, and which is utilizing Permanent Local Housing Allocation Funds as Matching Funds, shall be $750,000. -The maximum application request for all Applicants shall be $5 million.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
Details
This grant is for Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTFs) in California to finance affordable housing and shelter projects. Existing LHTFs must request a minimum of $1 million; new LHTFs (non-regional) must request $500,000; new regional LHTFs must request $750,000. All applicants cannot exceed $5 million per request. Projects must serve extremely low-income, lower-income, or moderate-income households, with at least 30% of funds directed to households at or below 30% of Area Median Income.
Eligible uses include construction and permanent financing loans (up to 3% interest) for affordable rental housing, emergency shelters, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, homebuyer projects, owner-occupied rehabilitation, and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs). Administrative expenses cannot exceed 5% of total funds.
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Program contact
- 📧 LHTF@hcd.ca.gov
- 📞 1-916-995-9006
Funding track record
Past applications & awards under this program (California Grants Portal) — how competitive it is.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Applications | Awarded | Award rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 23 | — | 0% |
Source: California Grants Portal
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