SC Housing Program Offers First Responders Down Payment Help on a First Home

South Carolina police officers, firefighters, correctional officers, emergency medical technicians and paramedics may qualify for thousands of dollars in home buying help through a state program created to reward public service.

The 2026 Palmetto Heroes Program, administered by South Carolina Housing (SC Housing), offers $10,000 in forgivable down payment assistance paired with a low, fixed interest rate mortgage. The assistance is folded into the loan and forgiven in full if the buyer stays in the home for 15 years.

The program is SC Housing’s most popular homebuyer offering, supporting workers the agency describes as the backbone of the state’s communities. In addition to first responders, eligible groups include teachers, nurses, veterans, active-duty military and National Guard members.

Firefighters can qualify even as volunteers with a state or local government agency. Emergency medical technicians and paramedics may qualify when employed by a company contracted by a state or local government agency to provide emergency medical services.

To qualify, applicants generally must be first-time homebuyers, which SC Housing defines as not having owned a primary residence in the past three years. Veterans are exempt from that requirement. Income limits also apply. For 2026, the limit for a one- or two-person household ranged from $90,500 to $135,000 depending on the county, and the program carried a home price cap of $450,000.

Buyers may choose from FHA, VA, USDA or conventional financing. Most SC Housing programs require a minimum credit score of 640. Applicants must have a fully executed sales contract before reserving funds.

Demand for the program is high, and money runs out quickly. SC Housing approved more than $72 million in low-interest mortgages for the 2026 round, which opened March 16 and closed in just 21 business days after helping 272 buyers. The agency has said its next round, the 2027 Program, is expected in the spring of 2027.

First responders who miss the Palmetto Heroes window, or who do not meet its requirements, still have options. SC Housing offers other homebuyer programs statewide throughout the year, with or without down payment assistance.

The standard SC Housing Homebuyer Program pairs a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage with a forgivable, no-payment, zero-interest second loan that can be applied to a down payment, closing costs or both. That second loan is forgiven over a 15-year term.

The Palmetto Home Advantage program is broader, offering conventional, FHA, VA and USDA options to first-time, move-up and repeat buyers with no first-time buyer requirement, no sales price limit and a statewide income limit of $137,500.

SC Housing also offers the SC Mortgage Tax Credit, known as a Mortgage Credit Certificate, which can provide an ongoing federal tax credit on a portion of mortgage interest paid. Some cities and counties offer their own down payment and closing cost assistance as well.

First responders interested in the program should contact an SC Housing approved lender, who can confirm current eligibility, income limits and fund availability. SC Housing can be reached at 1-800-277-2732 or online at schousing.sc.gov.