Could Virginia Housing’s $10K Community Heroes Grant Help You Buy a Home? 💰🦸
Hello Hampton Roads,
Have you heard about Virginia Housing’s new Community Heroes Grant and wondered whether it could help you buy a home here in Hampton Roads?
As of December 10, 2025, this program is officially live — and it’s already making a real difference for buyers across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and on the Peninsula.
This grant provides a true $10,000 toward down payment and closing costs when paired with a Virginia Housing Bond first mortgage. There’s no repayment, no second lien, and no hidden conditions — just meaningful support for the essential workers who keep our region running.
Virginia Housing created this program in response to the growing affordability challenges facing our local workforce. From teachers and nurses to firefighters, EMTs, police officers, military families, and childcare professionals, many of Hampton Roads’ most vital workers are being priced out of the communities they serve. This grant helps bridge that gap, making homeownership more achievable right now.
📌 Key Takeaways for Hampton Roads Buyers
- Virginia Housing’s Community Heroes Grant launched December 10, 2025 and is now available across Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and the greater Hampton Roads area.
- Eligible buyers include educators, law enforcement, firefighters, first responders, military personnel, and healthcare workers, including retirees.
- The program provides a true $10,000 grant for down payment and closing costs — no repayment required.
- The grant must be paired with a Virginia Housing Bond first mortgage.
- Designed to help essential workers overcome rising housing costs and achieve homeownership in Hampton Roads.
🏡 What Is the Community Heroes Grant?
Virginia Housing’s Community Heroes Grant is a new statewide program that became available on December 10, 2025. It provides a flat $10,000 true grant designed to reduce upfront costs for eligible homebuyers purchasing throughout Hampton Roads. This program fills a critical affordability gap for essential workers across our region.
The grant is intentionally simple: it is not a loan, requires no repayment, and does not create a second lien. Instead, it must be paired with a Virginia Housing Bond first mortgage, making it a powerful tool for first‑time buyers and workforce families who need help with down payment and closing costs.
💡 Key Features at a Glance
Program highlights you should know
- $10,000 true grant — funds never have to be repaid and amount cannot be reduced.
- Must be first time home buyer.
- Must be paired with a Virginia Housing Bond first mortgage.
- Can be used toward down payment and closing costs.
- No cash back except verified EMD and POCs (appraisal or home insp ection fees).
- First mortgage may be reduced if excess cash back appears on CD (closing disclosure).
With home prices continuing to rise across the region — especially in high‑demand areas like Virginia Beach and Norfolk — this grant helps essential workers stay rooted in the communities they serve. It’s a strategic investment in local stability, workforce retention, and long‑term housing access for Hampton Roads families.
🦸♂️ Who Qualifies as a Community Hero?
The Community Heroes Grant is designed to support the essential workers who keep Hampton Roads strong. Buyers may qualify if they currently work—or even if they've retired—in one of the eligible service-based professions below.
📚 Educators
Eligible if employed by a public or private:
- School or school system
- Post-secondary institution (college or university)
- Pre-school or licensed childcare center
Examples:
- Teachers (public, private, or post-secondary)
- School bus drivers
- Janitors and custodial staff
- Cafeteria workers
- School administrators
- School nurses
🚓 Law Enforcement, Firefighters, First Responders & Military
Eligible if employed by a federal, state, or local agency in a public safety or military role.
Examples:
- Police officers
- 911 dispatchers and emergency communications staff
- Firefighters
- EMTs and paramedics
- Active-duty military, National Guard, Reservists
- Veterans
- Administrative assistants at law enforcement or fire departments
🩺 Healthcare Workers
Eligible if providing medical or healthcare-related care or support in:
- Hospitals
- Licensed medical facilities
- Accredited healthcare environments
Examples:
- CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant)
- LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)
- RN (Registered Nurse)
- Medical lab technicians
- Ultrasound technicians
- Personal care assistants (licensed agencies)
- Social workers (clinical, mental health, medical)
- Other professionals involved in patient care and support
👥 Multi‑Borrower Rule
- Only one borrower on the loan must meet the Community Hero definition.
- The qualifying hero must be listed as a borrower, not just a household member.
- All borrowers—hero and non-hero—must sign the Community Heroes Certification Form.
📝 Documentation Required
- Fully executed Community Heroes Certification Form (signed by all borrowers and the lender).
- Employment and/or income documentation proving the borrower meets the Community Hero definition.
- If hero income is not used to qualify, documentation is still required to verify eligibility.
💳 Eligible Mortgage Programs & Stackable Assistance
To use the Community Heroes Grant, buyers must pair it with a Virginia Housing Bond first mortgage. Virginia Housing's bond loans are financed through the sale of tax exempt bond proceeds and are for first time buyers in the state of Virginia unless the home is located in an area of economic opportunity then the first time buyer requirement is waived. In Hampton Roads, the most common options are FHA Bond, Conventional Bond, and VA Bond. These 4 programs listed below can all be used with the Community Heroes grant.
🏠 FHA Bond
Widely used across Hampton Roads first time buyers. Eligible buyers can also use with Virginia Housing's DPA grant, SPARC or FirstHome Dream programs.
📄 Conventional Bond
Ideal for buyers with stronger credit profiles seeking competitive terms.Eligible buyers can combine with the DPA grant (100% financing) or the plus program (101.5% financing). Can be used with DPA grant, SPARC and FirstHome Dream programs.
🎖️ VA Bond
Perfect for military and veteran buyers throughout the region. This VA bond loan can be used with the CCA grant, SPARC and FirstHome Dream.
🌾 RHS Bond
For rural housing less common in Hampton Roads. Home must be located in a certain area to be eligible- see USDA property eligibility
Note: Non‑bond FHA, VA, and Conventional loans do not qualify for the Community Heroes Grant.
💼 Plus Second Mortgage (Eligible When Paired With a Bond Loan)
- 0% down payment
- 30‑year fixed‑rate second mortgage
- Borrow up to 1.5% above the sales price
- Available to first‑time and repeat buyers
- Higher income limits for expanded eligibility
- Works with bond or non‑bond loans (but only bond loans qualify for Community Heroes)
💰 DPA Grant (Eligible)
- Buyer contributes 1% toward down payment
- Grant covers remaining down payment
- 2% for Conventional, 2.5% for FHA
- Achieves 100% financing for eligible first‑time buyers
| Program Name | Eligible to Stack? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SPARC | Yes | SPARC allows for a 1% interest rate reduction below VA Housing's mortgage interest rates. |
| FirstHome Dream | Yes | For first generation home buyers, this program gives a 2% rate reduction below VA Housing's mortgage interest rates. |
| Plus Second Mortgage | Yes | Eligible when paired with a bond first mortgage and potentially allows for up to 101.5% financing. |
| DPA Grant | Yes | DPA grant allows for 100% financing subsidiing the majority of the down payment. Combined with Community Heroes, this drastically reduces out of pocket costs. |
| CCA Grant | Yes | Provides additional closing cost assistance up to 2% and can be paired with VA Housing's VA bond loan. |
When combined strategically, these programs can dramatically reduce upfront costs for essential workers purchasing homes across Hampton Roads — especially in competitive markets like Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
💸 How Much You Could Save With the Community Heroes Grant
Here’s a side‑by‑side comparison showing how much a buyer could save on a $300,000 home when stacking the $10,000 Community Heroes Grant with a $6,000 DPA Grant.
❌ 3% Down Conventional Loan (No Assistance)
| Sales Price | $300,000 |
| Closing Costs | $10,000 |
| Loan Amount @ 97% | $291,000 |
| Borrower Funds Needed | $19,000 |
🎉 Bond Loan + DPA Grant + Community Heroes
| Sales Price | $300,000 |
| Closing Costs | $10,000 |
| Combined Assistance | $16,000 |
| Loan Amount @ 97% | $291,000 |
| Borrower Funds Needed | $3,000 |
💡 Your Total Savings
The Community Heroes grant is $10K and the DPA grant for conventional loans is 2% of purchase price or $6K in this example. By stacking the $10,000 Community Heroes Grant with the $6,000 DPA Grant, a buyer reduces their required cash to close from $19,000 to just $3,000.
⭐ Total Savings: $16,000
This level of assistance can make homeownership possible for essential workers across Hampton Roads, especially in competitive markets like Virginia Beach and Norfolk.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the Community Heroes Grant
1. How do I know if I qualify as a “Community Hero”?
If you work in education, healthcare, law enforcement, firefighting, emergency response, or the military (including veterans and retirees), there’s a strong chance you qualify. The program was designed to support the essential workers who keep Hampton Roads moving every day.
2. Can I combine the Community Heroes Grant with other Virginia Housing programs?
Yes — and this is where the biggest savings happen. The Community Heroes Grant can be stacked with the DPA Grant, CCA Grant, Plus Second Mortgage, SPARC, and FirstHome Dream when paired with an eligible Virginia Housing Bond loan. Stacking can reduce your upfront costs dramatically.
3. Do I have to pay back the $10,000 Community Heroes Grant?
No. This is a true grant — not a loan, not a silent second, and not a lien. As long as you meet the eligibility requirements and use a Virginia Housing Bond mortgage, the $10,000 is yours with no repayment required.
4. What if I’m buying with someone who isn’t a Community Hero?
Only one borrower on the loan needs to meet the Community Hero definition. Both borrowers sign the certification form, but only one must qualify. This makes the program flexible for couples, co‑buyers, and multigenerational households.
5. Does using the Community Heroes Grant make my mortgage payment higher?
No — the grant does not increase your monthly mortgage payment. Because it’s a true grant, it doesn’t add a second payment or create additional debt. In many cases, buyers actually see a more affordable monthly payment because they avoid higher‑cost financing options and bring less cash to closing.
🏡 Ready to See How Much You Could Save?
The Community Heroes Grant can unlock thousands in savings — but every buyer’s path is unique. Let’s walk through your numbers, explore your eligibility, and build a personalized plan to get you home sooner with less out of pocket.
Thanks for Reading,
Liz Schuyler is a top Virginia Beach REALTOR® with RE/MAX Allegiance, licensed since 2001 and trusted across Hampton Roads. With 350+ homes sold, she helps clients Sell, Move, and Invest with confidence and strategy.
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