If you are a first-time buyer in Brooklyn in 2026 and you have not stacked up the grant programs available to you, you are likely leaving between $20,000 and $100,000+ in free or forgivable money on the table. The City, the State, the federal government, your bank, and even some employers all run grants, forgivable second mortgages, closing-cost subsidies, and down-payment match programs that specifically target Brooklyn neighborhoods. This is the 2026 walk-through of the ones that actually fund and close — and how to layer them so you keep more cash in the bank on Day 1.

Run your numbers first with the team’s first-time buyer grant calculator, then take this list to your loan officer and your buyer’s agent. There is a paired Staten Island version of this article here.

What is the HomeFirst grant in Brooklyn?

The City of New York’s HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program is the single most underused grant for Brooklyn buyers. Eligible buyers can receive up to $100,000 toward down payment or closing costs on a one-to-four-family home, condo, or co-op anywhere in the five boroughs — including Brooklyn zip codes 11201 through 11239. The funds are structured as a forgivable loan that disappears after 10 to 15 years of owner-occupancy. Income limits scale by household size and currently sit at roughly 80% of NYC Area Median Income. To qualify, you must complete an HPD-approved homebuyer education course, contribute at least 1% of the purchase price from your own funds, and use a participating lender. Run the calculator first to see if you clear the income threshold for your household size.

How does SONYMA Achieving the Dream stack with HomeFirst in Brooklyn?

SONYMA — the State of New York Mortgage Agency — runs Achieving the Dream, a below-market interest rate mortgage program that pairs cleanly with HomeFirst across Brooklyn. Achieving the Dream offers fixed 30-year financing with as little as 3% down and a Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL) of up to $15,000 or 3% of the home price, whichever is greater, fully forgiven after 10 years. Buyers in Bedford-Stuyvesant, East Flatbush, Crown Heights, Sunset Park, and other federally-designated Target Areas can access higher SONYMA limits and stack the SONYMA DPAL on top of HomeFirst — that is the configuration that pushes total assistance past $100,000 in some cases.

Are there grants for veterans buying in Brooklyn?

Yes. The federal VA loan requires zero down and no PMI, and SONYMA runs a Homes for Veterans Program that pairs the VA loan with the same DPAL described above. Veterans buying in Brooklyn also qualify for the city’s HomeFirst program on the same terms as non-veterans, meaning the right configuration is: VA loan (0% down) + SONYMA DPAL (up to $15K) + HomeFirst (up to $100K) — closing costs and most of the down payment covered. See the team’s Brooklyn veteran-buyer guide for the full layering walkthrough.

Do banks have their own first-time buyer grants in Brooklyn?

Yes, and these are the grants most buyers do not know about. Chase runs the Chase Homebuyer Grant — currently $5,000 to $7,500 in eligible Brooklyn census tracts, applied directly to closing costs and rate buydown. Bank of America runs America’s Home Grant — up to $7,500 in non-repayable closing-cost grant — plus a separate Down Payment Grant of up to $10,000. Wells Fargo runs Dream Plan Home, and TD Bank runs Right Step. None require repayment and they stack with city and state grants.

How do I actually layer these grants without losing one?

The correct order in Brooklyn in 2026 is: (1) complete an HPD-approved homebuyer education course early — this is the gating credential, (2) get pre-approved by a lender that participates in SONYMA, FHA, VA, AND a major bank-grant program, (3) submit your HomeFirst application before you write an offer, (4) write offers with 45–60 day timelines so the city has time to fund the grant, and (5) confirm with your buyer’s agent that the seller’s attorney has done a HomeFirst-funded deal before. The order matters because some grants are first-come-first-served annually and run out by Q3.

How much can I actually save? Run the numbers.

For a Brooklyn couple buying a $725,000 condo in Sunset Park with combined income of $145,000, the realistic 2026 stack: HomeFirst $40,000, SONYMA DPAL $15,000, Chase Homebuyer Grant $5,000, plus first-time-buyer mortgage interest deduction returning roughly $5,000 in Year 1 taxes. Total Day 1 cost reduction: ~$60,000–$65,000. Use the first-time buyer grant calculator, then call (917) 905-2541. There is also a Brooklyn first-time-buyer agent guide.