HOME Investment Partnerships Program.
HOME provides federal formula funds to states and participating local governments for affordable housing development, rehabilitation, homebuyer assistance, and rental assistance.
Overview
What it does.
A Chester developer or nonprofit accesses HOME through IHDA or another participating jurisdiction's competitive process, not through a direct HUD application. A mixed-use or adaptive-reuse project may include HOME only for eligible affordable-housing costs and must carry long-term affordability obligations.
Best for: Affordable rental or homeownership projects that need public gap financing and can meet long-term income, rent, property, and compliance requirements.
Eligibility
Who and what may qualify.
Eligible applicants
- States and eligible local participating jurisdictions as direct HUD recipients
- Qualified for-profit and nonprofit housing developers, public entities, and Community Housing Development Organizations through a participating jurisdiction's funding process
Applicants excluded by the source
- Private developers applying directly to HUD for a formula allocation
- Projects unable to meet HOME income, affordability, property, subsidy, and compliance requirements
Eligible uses
- New construction or rehabilitation of affordable rental or homeownership housing
- Acquisition and site improvements
- Homebuyer assistance
- Tenant-based rental assistance through participating jurisdictions
Uses excluded by the source
- Unrestricted market-rate development
- Ineligible public-housing or operating costs
- Commercial portions not allocable to eligible affordable housing
Application
How to start.
- Review IHDA's current HOME and multifamily funding materials
- Confirm the project location, sponsor, eligible basis, affordability period, market, and development team
- Apply through the applicable IHDA or participating-jurisdiction funding round
Timing: IHDA and other participating jurisdictions publish project funding rounds; confirm the current open notice.
Planning notes
Limits to account for.
- Private developers do not apply directly to HUD
- Long-term affordability, income, rent, environmental, property-standard, underwriting, and reporting requirements apply
- Mixed-use commercial costs are not automatically eligible
Frequently layered with LIHTC, state housing funds, loans, local support, and historic credits, with careful eligible-basis and duplicate-cost allocation.
Evidence
Official sources.
- Affordable Housing Programs: HOMEU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · accessed 2026-07-10
- LIHTC and HOME ManualIllinois Housing Development Authority · accessed 2026-07-10