2023 WISH First-Time Homebuyer Program

Our member financial institutions may now apply for the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco's 2023 WISH first-time homebuyer downpayment assistance program. The deadline for members to submit an application to participate in this year’s WISH program is Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

To help you prepare for the 2023 WISH homeownership program, we invite you to join one of our two-hour webinars scheduled:

Apply to participate in the 2023 WISH homeownership program
Our WISH matching grant program is designed to offer the Bank's member financial institutions an opportunity to support affordable, sustainable homeownership for first-time homebuyers while achieving their own community investment goals.

In 2023, the WISH Program offers eligible low- to moderate-income households 4-to-1 matching grants of up to $29,172, which is the Federal Housing Finance Agency's annual maximum subsidy limit. WISH funds can be applied to downpayment and closing costs for the purchase of a home. WISH grants help working families and individuals move from renting to owning and can complement or supplement many local, state, and federal homeownership program initiatives. WISH Program contributions can include savings from Individual Development Accounts (IDAs), Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program savings, gift funds, or sweat equity.

Because WISH first-time homebuyer grants are delivered directly to homebuyers by participating Bank members, only the Bank's member financial institutions may apply to participate in the program. Members participating in the WISH program can request grant funds on a first-come, first-served basis to assist homebuyers who are expected to close or be in escrow on a home purchase by March 31, 2024.

Members approved to participate in this year's program will be notified of the total amount of grant funding available for 2023 on or around April 3, 2023. At that time, a list of participating members will be available on the Bank's website so potential homebuyers and housing agencies or nonprofits that work with first-time homebuyers can contact a participating member about partnering with them to access the WISH Program.

Applications and related program materials for members, such as information about homebuyer eligibility, can also be found on the WISH page of our website. For additional information, please email Community Investment or call us at (415) 616-2542.