Financial Capacity
BMR HOME OWNERSHIP (BMR) RESTRICTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
Lottery Application
Property Description
First Time Homebuyer
THE PURCHASE PROCESS
Developer’s rendering of Bancroft Grove Development
BMR Lottery
The household must have the financial capacity to purchase the BMR. This will include:
- A minimum 3% down payment is required – approximately $11,000. Funds must be in a financial institution such as a bank, trust, retirement, or investment account. No mattress money/cash is allowed. Gifts may be provided by first and second degree relatives. All funds (including from gifts) must be sourced and seasoned from institutional accounts. Reserve requirements may be held in accessible retirement accounts (such as IRA, 401K, 403B, etc.)
- Minimum FICO score of 640 for all adult non-dependent household members required to be on title.
- The cost of owning the home in combination with your current monthly personal debt payments cannot exceed 45% of your gross earnings.
This newly built BMR is part of the Bancroft Grove Development and is located at 1881 Whitman Road, Concord. The BMR is a single level four bedroom 1,340 square foot home, with an attached 456 square foot two car garage. The new home will include a solar panel system, as required for new home construction by California Code Title 24. The home is estimated to become available sometime towards January 2024. Households whose income exceeds 80% of the area’s median income are ineligible to apply for this BMR’s lottery.
Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to purchase the Concord Below Market Rate home:
Up to the top five lottery winners will proceed to the next step.
- Find a lender who currently is, or can be approved by the City, to finance a City of Concord BMR purchase. BAAHA has identified lenders who have extensive experience originating purchase loans for BMR properties, and are likely to merit City approval.
- Secure 1st lender approval from you first lender. A lottery winner may only proceed forward to initiate securing a City BMR final Program approval after submitting a first lender approval to BAAHA.
Viewing the Property
City of Concord First Time Homebuyer Program (FTHB)
The City of Concord may provide an eligible household up to $40,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance subsidy to purchase the Bancroft Grove Whitman BMR. Participants must meet all BMR eligibility requirements to participate in the FTHB Program. The dollar amount of City FTHB Program funding provided to an eligible household is based on a need basis. Funding limits are also set by the households gross income. The FTHB subsidy is a shared appreciation loan. No payments are required until the loan is due. The term of the loan is fifteen years, however, the loan can be repaid, without prepayment penalties, at any time prior to the fifteen year term. The payoff amount will equal the principal balance borrowed plus a percentage of the shared appreciation realized at the time the loan is repaid. Repayment will be required at the time of sale. To learn more about Concord's First Time Homebuyer Program click this link.
Additional Homebuyer Assistance Subsidies
Depending on availability, eligible Program applicants may have access to additional down payment assistance subsidies. Subsidies usually come in the form of grants or forgivable loans; and are made available through public agencies and private organizations. BAAHA, upon reviewing your Program application, may be able to direct you to a subsidy provider. Some of the additional subsidies that may be available include:
- Federal Home Loan Bank WISH Program (https://www.fhlbsf.com/community-programs/grant-programs/wish) – up to $29,000 loan/ grant available for eligible low income first time homebuyers. This subsidy is provided in the form of a five-year fully forgivable loan.
- NeighborhoodLIFT Program (https://communityhdc.org/lift/) – up to $25,000 for grant eligible properties and homebuyers.
Submission of BAAHA’s Concord BMR Lottery Screening Application will allow BAAHA to determine a household’s potential eligibility to participate in the City FTHB and/or other homebuyer assistance purchase grants.
Overview
Prospective applicants are encouraged and welcome to visit the Bancroft Grove Development during business hours. The property is located at 1881 Whitman Road, Concord. For more information about the property and to view the property go to the Lenox Home’s Bancroft Grove Development website located at: https://livelenox.com/community-bancroft-grove-concord-ca/.
Upon securing 1st loan and City Program approval, the applicant will be required to submit a purchase contract to the BMR seller. Once a purchase contract is ratified (signed by seller and buyer), it will take approximately 45 days to close the purchase escrow and secure ownership to the BMR home.
The property may not be purchased as a rental property. The owner(s) of the home must be full time residents who occupy the home as their primary home.
The lottery is scheduled to be held December 21, 2023.
Program participants may be disqualified from purchasing the BMR if their housing cost ratio is either below the minimum or over the maximum ratio allowances. A housing ratio is the percentage relationship between total monthly costs to own the property in relation to the gross monthly household income that the City and/or first lender apply towards determining the housing ratio calculation. Monthly housing costs include the principal and interest portion of the mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance, and home owner’s association fees (HOA). The housing ratio is calculated by dividing the total housing costs by the gross monthly household income. The City and 1st lender derive the gross household monthly income applied towards the ratio calculation. Gross household income includes the household’s total income prior to all deductions from their payroll earnings. Program eligible households cannot have a housing ratio that is lower than 28% and higher than 45%.
Maximum income to own the 4 bedroom BMR home may not exceed 80% of Contra Costa County’s Median incomes. Median income allowances are based on household size.
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
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4 bedroom, 2 bathroom | 1,340 sq.ft. home and 456 sq.ft. 2 car garage
Sales Price: $360,000
BEFORE YOU APPLY...
Make certain to read the Program eligibility requirements provided below
Occupancy of the Home
Upon securing first lender approval, BAAHA and the City will conduct a thorough review and analysis to determine the applicant’s Program eligibility. Information provided in the Lottery application will be verified. Program eligibility will be based on the applicant fulfilling and meeting the Program guidelines outlined above. For review and reconciliation purposes, households will be required to provide supporting documentation to BAAHA, including and not limited to copies of:
- Bank and investment/retirement account statements, to conduct their underwriting and approval process
- Prior filed and signed tax returns
- Payroll information, inclusive of W-2s, recent paycheck stubs, and verification of employment
BAAHA Program Administration
Housing Costs and Ratio Requirements
All household members on title must complete a HUD approved homebuyer education course to purchase the Concord BMR unit. Visit the URL links listed below to access sources to complete your approved education requirements. We also encourage applicants to conduct your own search for HUD approved homebuyer education courses on the internet. Certificate of course completion is not a requirement to apply for the lottery, but is a requirement for purchase.
https://hudgov-answers.force.com/housingcounseling/s/?language=en_US#searchArea
https://www.myhomegateway.org/hud-certified-counseling-agencies.html
Household Size
The City has established lottery preferences that promote ownership for first time homebuyers who reside and work in the City of Concord. Preferences are not a requirement to apply. However, a preference scoring system will be applied in ranking priority applicants drawn at the lottery. Preferences include:
Live and/or Work in the City of Concord
Preference points are provided for households that have members that currently live and/or work in Concord. Work eligibility is based on your employer’s address, not your home address. Working at home due to COVID-19 does not necessarily fulfill the work in Concord preference requirements.
For a household to qualify for the live/work preference, only one member of the household needs to meet the requirement.
1881 Whitman Road, Concord
Bancroft Grove, Concord Below Market Rate Home
YOUR NEXT STEPS
PROGRAM PARTICIPATION PREFERENCES
Lottery Applications must be submitted to BAAHA before 5:00 Friday December 15, 2023 (see below). This deadline has passed. BAAHA will review the Lottery Application and provide applicants a preliminary determination regarding their Program eligibility and to establish the applicant’s Program preferences. Applicants will have an opportunity to appeal an ineligible determination for reconsideration. Applicants who pass the preliminary eligibility screening may participate in the lottery. However, the preliminary screening to participate in the lottery is not a Program approval. Top-ranked lottery winning applicants will be required to go through a comprehensive Program approval process.
Bancroft Grove Whitman Road
Below Market Rate Home (BMR)
| Household size | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 80% Area Median Income Allowance | $112,150 | $121,150 | $130,100 | $139,100 | $148,050 |
The City of Concord has a four bedroom Below Market Rate (BMR). The home is estimated to become available sometime towards January 2024. The sales price of this four bedroom BMR is $360,000. The sales price also includes a solar panel system. Interested homebuyers will be required to submit a Prescreen Lottery Application and participate in a lottery to purchase the home.
Maximum Household Income
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
All non-dependent adult household members in the household must be first time homebuyers. A first time homebuyer may not have been on title or owned a property three years prior to submitting their Program Lottery Application (see below). Spouses may not be a dependent in the household.
The Purchase Process
1. Determine if you are interested in purchasing the Whitman Road BMR.
- Be certain you are interested in buying a BMR. Understand the implications of owning a BMR property. For an overview of BMR ownership restrictions and requirements visit BAAHA website at: https://www.myhomegateway.org/what-is-a-bmr-.html
- Determine if you are interested in this specific property. BAAHA suggests you drive by the location and view the models. To get more information regarding the development and property visit: https://livelenox.com/community-bancroft-grove-concord-ca/
2. Submit a BMR Lottery Application - The Application period is over. When requesting an application by email, make certain to state in your email that the application is for the Concord BMR. BAAHA will contact you if any additional information is required regarding your application. Upon completing the review of your application, BAAHA will issue you a preliminary lottery eligibility and preference determination. We urge that applicants immediately submit their application so that BAAHA has time to review and provide you feedback on your application and preference status. All applications must be submitted before the 5:00 PM December 15, 2023 deadline.
3. Attend Concord’s Program Informational Workshop – BAAHA in conjunction with the City of Concord and A-1 Community Housing Services is conducting a virtual (Zoom) Program informational workshop on November 28, 2023 at 6:00 PM. Go to our Concord FTHB Workshop webpage for information and to make a reservation.
The City of Concord (City) contracts the Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA) to assist in the sale of the Bancroft Grove BMR Home. BAAHA is involved with conducting all BMR application screening, lottery, and City BMR Program underwriting activities. If you have any additional questions related to the sale of this BMR, contact BAAHA by email at info@myhomegateway.com.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM SUBSIDIES
Household income is based on gross earnings for every non-dependent adult member required to be on title. Earnings include, and are not limited to: wages, pension benefits, social security earnings, unemployment, IHSS earnings, and earnings from self-employment. Self-employment earnings are net earnings after business expenses.
BAAHA and the City of Concord are providing a virtual (Zoom) Program informational workshop on November 28, 2023 at 6:00 PM. Go to our Concord FTHB Workshop webpage for information and to make a reservation. The workshop will provide an overview on:
- BMR ownership requirements, restrictions, and responsibilities
- Specific eligibility requirements to purchase the current four bedroom Whitman Road BMR
- The steps and timeline to go through the purchase process
- Accessing up to $40,000 in assistance from the City of Concord Down Payment Assistance Loan Program
The Application Period is over. The deadline has passed.
If you have any additional questions, please contact BAAHA by email at info@myhomegateway.com. Make certain to state that you are inquiring about the Concord BMR and provide us with your email address and phone number.
Para obtener información en español o si tiene preguntas adicionales, o necesita ayuda para presentar la solicitud, envíe un correo electrónico a A-1 Community Housing Services a information@a1chs.org o llámenos al 510-674-9227 opción 3.
The minimum household size allowed to purchase the property is four (4) people. The maximum allowable household size to purchase the property is eight (8) people.
All non-minor household members who are not dependents must be on title when the property is purchased. Qualifying dependents must be designated on 2022 federal tax returns, and if not the adult household member's child by birth, must be designated to be a dependent per a court decree. Spouses may not be claimed as dependents, even if they do not have earnings from employment. Applicants must identify household members that will be living in the home at the time application is submitted.
This newly built BMR is part of the Bancroft Grove Development and is located at 1881 Whitman Road, Concord. The BMR is a single level four bedroom 1,340 square foot home, with an attached 456 square foot two car garage. The new home will include a solar panel system, as required for new home construction by California Code Title 24.
The sales price of the BMR is $360,000. For more information about the property and to view the models, go to the Lenox Home’s Bancroft Grove Development website located at: https://livelenox.com/community-bancroft-grove-concord-ca/
HUD-Approved Homebuyer Education
BMR ownership must adhere to ownership restrictions and responsibilities. These restrictions are in place for a forty-five (45) year term, and commence on the date of purchase. Restrictions include:
- The BMR must be sold at an affordable resale price that the City assigns at the time of the resale.
- The BMR must be sold to an eligible buyer/household, whom the City must approve.
- There are refinance guidelines and restrictions. All refinances must be approved by the City
- The property must be maintained in good condition at all times.
- The property may not be rented out.
- There are guidelines and restrictions regarding passing title. All property transfers must be submitted to and approved by the City.
To learn more about BMR home ownership guidelines and restrictions click on this link.
Financial Capacity
Click here to view HUD-approved Homebuyer Counseling agencies in the Bay Area.