Equity Share Co-Investment (ESCO)

The Housing Trust of Santa Clara County's Equity Share Co-Investment (ESCO) program is the newest of our four programs designed to help first-time homebuyers in our community. Funds are currently available.

Who it Helps

First-time homebuyers earning up to 140% AMI who have not owned a home in Santa Clara County in the last three years. As shown above, the household income for a four-member household cannot exceed $147,700; or the income for a single-member household cannot exceed $103,390.

How it Helps

The Housing Trust, with American Home Equity Partners, has developed a new program to assist qualified homebuyers get on the property ladder through a new downpayment assistance program. Homebuyers will make a downpayment of at least 5% of the purchase price of the home. The Housing Trust will match that downpayment dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $75,000. The ESCO loan will be repaid when the homeowner sells or refinances their home, or in fifteen years. The ESCO loan will be repaid out of the appreciation of the home in equal proportions to the amount of the original down payments.

For more information to see if this program is right for you, and to see how to apply, please visit our ESCO page at the AHEP website by clicking here.

To download the ESCO program guidelines, click here.

To download the ESCO application, click here.

For income limits with FHA first mortgages, click here.

For more information, contact the Homeownership Program Manager at the Housing Trust.