Pleasanton Housing Costs

Pleasanton is located in an area of high housing costs typical of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay East Association of Realtors ® maintains up-to-date information on sales prices for existing homes.

Homes at Below-Market Prices

In 1992, the City introduced the Pleasanton Home Ownership Assistance Program (PHAP) to assist first-time home buyers in overcoming the obstacle of high local housing costs to be able to purchase homes in Pleasanton. Working with local housing developers, over 120 below-market priced homes have been constructed to date.

The purchase of PHAP homes has generally been restricted to owner-occupant, first-time home buyers. To ensure continued affordability over time, PHAP homes include restrictions controlling the maximum sale price and maximum income of subsequent buyers when the homes are resold.

PHAP homes represent a variety of housing types which have been sold at several different affordability levels.

• PHAP Below Market Rate Home Inventory
• PHAP Program Guidelines for Eligibility and Participation
• PHAP Sample Restrictive Covenants with BMR Owners
• 2016 City Income/Rent limits for Affordable Housing Programs
• How to Apply or get More Information on BMR homes that are available
  • Contact Hello Housing to be notified about future application processes.
  • Contact ECHO Housing and/or to enroll in the required First-time Homebuyer Education Class and to get prepared for a BMR home purchase.

ANNOUNCING-ANDARES HOMES BY SUMMERHILL

 Application Period Opens June 9, 2017

We are pleased to announce 10 new, two-bedroom, affordable homes are available for sale to income-qualified buyers at SummerHill Andares, a 94-unit community being developed by SummerHill Homes in Pleasanton.  These Below Mark Rate Homes, made possible by the City of Pleasanton’s Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance http://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/resident/housing/affordable.asp], are offered at $265,000 to provide households at or below 80 percent Area Median Income the opportunity to make Pleasanton their home. 

In order to qualify for this opportunity, interested prospective homebuyers must submit an Online Pre-Application at www.hellohousing.org/andares to Hello Housing during the pre-application period from June 9 to June 30, 2017. Alternative methods of submittal will be allowed to those requesting a reasonable accommodation.

 For more information including the pre-application link, contact Hello Housing* http://www.hellohousing.org/stewardship/cityofpleasanton/ at 415-930-4112 or visit www.hellohousing.org/andares.

Printed Information Packets are available at the following locations starting today, June 9:

Pleasanton Library, 400 Old Bernal Avenue
Pleasanton Senior Center, 5353 Sunol Blvd.
City of Pleasanton, 200 Old Bernal Avenue; Housing Division Office

*The City contracts with Hello Housing to administer the City’s Home Ownership Assistance Program.  Please contact Hello Housing, not the City, for questions or for more information.

Financing Programs

In 2004, the City introduced a Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program. The program currently provides up to $20,000 in down payment assistance for low- and moderate-income buyers. Assistance is in the form of a low-interest loan that is amortized over 20 years. Buyers are responsible for obtaining a first mortgage with a CalHFA-approved lender at a fixed interest rate with no negative amortization, balloon payment or adjustable rate features. DPA Program administration is handled through Hello Housing.  Additional information, including the process for submitting a pre-application, can be found in the brochure, application, and guidelines for the DPA program.

Additional assistance has sometimes been available through the Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) program administered by the Alameda County Housing and Community Development Department (HCD). Through the MCC program, eligible home buyers can receive a credit on their annual taxes to lower their monthly housing payment.

Preparing for Homeownership

ECHO Housing offers classes on how to find, qualify for, and buy a home as well as debt and financial education and counseling. You can also obtain information about down payment assistance, first-time homebuyer programs, housing counseling, mortgage products and more.

The City will be publicizing future home purchase opportunities (new homes as well as the resale of existing PHAP homes) through Hello and ECHO Housing. Those interested in staying informed about future ownership housing opportunities sponsored by the City of Pleasanton should contact these agencies.

Introductory to Homebuying Workshop July 15, 2017