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Washington County Executive Josh Schuhmann announces Heart and Homestead down-payment incentive
Summary
Washington County Executive Josh Schuhmann unveiled Heart and Homestead, a county-funded down-payment incentive offering up to $20,000 for buyers of homes priced $420,000 or below; the county has allocated $3 million and the next application round opens Tuesday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m., on a first-come, first-served basis.
Washington County Executive Josh Schuhmann announced the Heart and Homestead program on WashCo Weekly, describing a county-funded down-payment incentive that could help new homebuyers in Washington County.
The program offers up to $20,000 toward a down payment for homes priced at $420,000 or below and does not have income requirements, Schuhmann said. "A Heart and Homestead initiative is an incentive program, a down payment incentive for homeowners here in Washington County," he said.
County officials have set aside $3 million for the program, Schuhmann said. He told viewers the next round of applications opens Tuesday, April 7 at 10:00 a.m. and urged prospective applicants to be early: prior rounds filled in roughly 10 to 15 minutes on a first-come, first-served basis.
Schuhmann outlined two ways recipients can satisfy the $20,000 incentive: by repaying it directly or by earning credits through donations or volunteer service at participating nonprofit organizations. "That $20,000 can be earned back in any number of ways," he said. For donations, the county credits 70 cents for every dollar given to participating groups; for volunteer work, the county credits $25 for each hour of documented service.
He cited Interfaith Caregivers and Kettlebrook Church as examples of partners and said about 85 nonprofit organizations across the county — churches, volunteer fire companies, libraries and other groups — are participating. Schuhmann illustrated that consistent volunteer service over several years could fully forgive the incentive and noted that if recipients choose, the county may recoup the $20,000 when the home is sold.
Schuhmann framed the program as both a housing assistance effort and a community-building tool: "The bigger goal is to help build community, help organizations like Kettlebrook Church, our nonprofits all throughout the county," he said. He directed viewers to the county website for application details and the application link.
Schuhmann closed the segment by thanking viewers and inviting them to check the link for more information on Heart and Homestead.
