Buying a home along the BeltLine just got a little more reachable for the people who have lived alongside it the longest. Invest Atlanta and Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. have launched a down payment assistance program aimed at legacy residents and public sector employees, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.
Eligible long-term residents and public servants (think teachers, first responders, and city workers) can receive up to $30,000 in assistance. Other qualified buyers may get up to $20,000. The money can go toward down payments, closing costs, an interest rate buydown, or principal reduction.
The program covers homes inside the BeltLine Tax Allocation District on the south and west sides, the stretch that runs through neighborhoods like West End and Peoplestown. Buyers need a minimum credit score of 620, a household income at or below 140% of area median, and completion of a HUD-approved homebuyer course.
Funding comes from the BeltLine's affordable housing budget and is administered by Invest Atlanta. For a corridor where rising prices have pushed out plenty of longtime residents, it is a real attempt to help some of them stay.
