Comparison
CHFA is the best known, but it is not the only down payment assistance program in Colorado. Depending on where you buy and your income, CHAC, metroDPA, or Pikes Peak DPA in El Paso County may also be in play. metroDPA does not cover El Paso County, so Colorado Springs buyers can set it aside. Here is a plain-English look at how the main programs compare and how to figure out which fits you.
The landscape
At a glance
Statewide, the most widely used. Pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first mortgages and offers assistance as a grant or second mortgage, with income and price limits and homebuyer education. See our CHFA guide.
CHAC is another statewide assistance source. metroDPA covers only its listed Denver-area and northern Front Range cities and counties; El Paso County, including Colorado Springs, is not one of them. Each has its own income rules and structure, and availability shifts over time.
El Paso County's program for homes anywhere in the county, including Colorado Springs: up to 5% forgivable assistance with FHA, VA, USDA or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loans, and no first-time buyer requirement. The county mentions the older Turnkey and Turnkey Plus loans only for payoffs. See our Pikes Peak DPA guide.
Programs, amounts, and availability are set by each program and change over time. We confirm what is currently open and what you qualify for rather than relying on a static list.
Where we come in
Common questions
Both are Colorado down payment assistance sources. CHFA is the statewide authority most buyers start with, while CHAC is a separate assistance source with its own rules. Which fits depends on your income, location, and first mortgage; we compare them for your situation.
metroDPA only covers the cities and counties on its eligible-area list, which are in the Denver area and northern Front Range. El Paso County, including Colorado Springs, is not on that list, so metroDPA does not cover homes here. CHFA is statewide. For a Colorado Springs buyer, CHFA and Pikes Peak DPA are the relevant comparison.
El Paso County's PPDPA page mentions Turnkey and Turnkey Plus only for payoffs, which are handled by the master servicer, U.S. Bank. The program the county presents for buyers today is Pikes Peak DPA (PPDPA), which covers all of El Paso County, including Colorado Springs.
Sometimes, depending on each program rules. It is not always allowed, so it is worth checking rather than assuming. We map out what can be layered for your situation.
There is no single best one; it depends on your income, the home, and your loan. For many local buyers CHFA or a Pikes Peak region program fits well. We compare the ones you qualify for and recommend the strongest.
Keep exploring
Grant or second-mortgage assistance toward your down payment and closing costs.
Learn moreThe plain-English guide to how CHFA programs are put together in Colorado.
Learn moreWork with a local Colorado Springs broker who offers CHFA's programs.
Learn moreThis page is general education, not a commitment to lend, financial advice, or a guarantee of program eligibility, assistance amount, rate, or term. CHFA program rules, income limits, and assistance are set by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and change over time; confirm current details at chfainfo.com. Clayhouse Mortgage is not affiliated with CHFA, CHAC, metroDPA, El Paso County, or the El Paso County Housing Authority. All loans subject to credit approval; not all applicants will qualify.
Sources (reviewed September 29, 2026): El Paso County: Pikes Peak Down Payment Assistance (PPDPA) program page; El Paso County Housing Authority: Pikes Peak DPA Administrator Guidelines, rev. 06/11/26 (eHousingPlus); metroDPA Administrator Guidelines (U.S. Bank servicer), revised 06/10/26 (eHousingPlus); CHAC: Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation home page; CHAC: Mortgage Assistance Program Descriptions; CHFA: Down Payment Assistance.
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Tell us where you are buying and your rough income and we will line up the assistance programs you qualify for, with no pressure and no application required to ask.
