Who is eligible to participate in the Section 8 Homeownership Program?   

June 19, 2025

To meet the minimum program requirements, the participant:  

• Must be an OHA resident in “good standing” with no lease violations or outstanding rent payments and may not have owed a debt to the Oakland Housing Authority within the past five years.   
• Must be a first-time homebuyer based on HUD’s definition (i.e. no family member has owned or had ownership interest in their residence for at least three years).   
• Must earn a minimum gross annual income (for the family) equal to the City of Oakland minimum wage multiplied by 2000 hours, based on the income of the adult family members who will own the home. (For example, a family must earn $33,780 based on the City of Oakland current minimum wage of $16.89 as of 1/1/2025.)   
• Must be employed on a full-time basis for at least one year before the homeownership assistance begins. (full-time = 30 hours/week on a consistent basis)   
• The minimum income requirement for elderly (62+) or disabled families (head of household or their spouse) is equal to the current SSI monthly payment for an individual living alone, multiplied by twelve (12). (For example, 967 X 12= $11,604 as of 1/1/2025)   
• Must have a credit score of 640 or above for mortgage applicants.   
• Must meet minimum savings requirements, which are 3.5% of the purchase price for working families or 1% of the purchase price for disabled and elderly families.  
• Must not have defaulted on a mortgage under the homeownership option for any reason.