Frequently Asked Questions

The County’s CDBG-DR Action Plan allocates $92,500,000 to this program.

Yes. You are encouraged to submit an application if you are interested in purchasing a home. Your case manager will work with you to identify a lender, and obtain housing counseling if you need help qualifying for a mortgage. 

The program will prioritize renters displaced by the 2023 Maui wildfires while remaining open to all first-time homebuyers up to 120% area median income (AMI).

A first-time homebuyer is someone who has no ownership interest in a residential structure during the three years prior to applying to the HOP Program.

Applicant certification of non-ownership attesting to having not held ownership interest within the last three years; tax returns for the prior two years; first mortgage commitment or mortgage preapproval showing a minimum 30-year mortgage term with fixed-rate, dated within 30 days of application date (if unable to obtain mortgage approval, must be willing to enroll in financial fitness counseling with a HUD-approved counseling agency).

Yes. Homebuyer education is required and must be completed with a HUD-approved counseling agency. There are four (4) HUD-approved HCA’s that provide the required pre-purchase counseling course. They are:

1.    Hawaiian Community Assets, Inc. – Wailuku Branch
1950 E Vineyard St
Wailuku, HI 96793
808-727-8870 http://www.hawaiiancommunity.net

2.    Hale Mahaolu Homeownership/Housing Counseling
95 Mahalani Street, Suite #28-2A
Wailuku, HI 96793
808-242-7027 http://www.halemahaolu.org

The program may assist you to purchase a single-family home, condo, or townhome in the County of Maui. The home must not be located in a flood zone. To see if a property is in a flood zone, view the County's Flood Hazard Assessment Tool. 

Must be a first-time homebuyer; must be able to obtain first-mortgage financing from a lending institution; must be a current or returning resident of the County of Maui; must be purchasing an eligible property that will serve as primary residence within the County of Maui; must be willing to occupy that property throughout the affordability period (up to 99 years).

Any assistance that was received for the same purpose (i.e., for the purchase of a home). For example – gift funds, philanthropic donations, or nonprofit organizations, etc., that provide funding for the same purpose as this program that can be used in the same manner as this program (i.e., down-payment assistance, closing costs assistance, interest rate buydown, etc.), insurance settlement for housing replacement, are all examples of duplication of benefits.

You must be a U.S. Citizen or legal permanent resident.

No. You may use any lender. Your case manager may provide you with a list of lenders if you need assistance finding one.

The program does not have a minimum credit score requirement, however, the lender that you choose to finance your first mortgage loan will have credit score requirements that you need to meet. 

As long as you continue to occupy the property as your primary residence for a long period of time (99 years), you do not have to make any payments. 

No. Renting out the home during the affordability period is a violation of the program terms and may trigger repayment of the assistance.