OHFA Special Rates: OHFA 4 Schools (formerly OHFA 4Teachers) and OHFA Shield · Tulsa County
Tulsa County: down payment help for first-time buyers
Tulsa County buyers who work for a school, police or fire department, or EMS provider can use OHFA's Gold special rate with 3.5% down payment help.
SeatTulsa
People698,782
Income cap, 3+$113,245
House price cap$349,525
What buying looks like in Tulsa County
Tulsa County has close to 700,000 people spread across Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby and Jenks. Five large districts sit inside it: Tulsa Public Schools, Broken Arrow, Union, Jenks and Owasso. Teachers, aides, bus drivers and office staff in any of them can ask a lender about OHFA 4 Schools.
For Shield, the Tulsa Police and Fire Departments and the Broken Arrow Police Department are municipal employers, which match OHFA's guide wording directly. EMSA paramedics qualify through their EMS provider. Tulsa County Sheriff's Office deputies should get a lender's read on the municipal wording first.
Tulsa County also contains federally targeted census tracts. A home in one of those tracts can go up to $427,198 and doesn't require you to be a first-time buyer.
Local programs like these can sometimes go on top of the state program, or stand in for it. Each one keeps its own rules, so your loan officer sorts out which of them play well together.
Tulsa County (includes Tulsa, Broken Arrow (Tulsa County part), Owasso, Bixby, Jenks)
For
First-time buyers (including all spouses) using FHA, VA or USDA-RD loans through participating lenders
How much
3.5% of the total note
Kind
Loan that is forgiven over time
Only for first-timers?
Yes
Also note
Min FICO 620; homebuyer education required; no non-occupant co-borrowers; 60 days from reservation to loan purchase
0% interest second forgiven after 5 years. 2025A offering at 6.350% for FHA/VA/USDA; page (modified Aug 24, 2026) says a waitlist is available for fallout, suggesting funds may be fully reserved. Income/price limits are in a linked PDF not read this session. Alternative to OHFA Gold, not a layer.
Housing Partners of Tulsa Homebuyer Program (down payment/closing cost assistance)
City of Tulsa / Tulsa area
For
Low- and moderate-income families; any lender, realtor and neighborhood
Also note
Homebuyer counseling and classes; staff attends closing and supports 5 years after purchase; DPA 'restrictions apply'
City of Tulsa reported 31 households became first-time homeowners with CDBG/HOME in PY2024 (cityoftulsa.org press release, Community Development Week 2026) but no City of Tulsa DPA program page was found. Contact Alicia Linker 918-581-5711.
Head of household or partner is a citizen of any federally recognized tribe (Cherokee preference); home inside Cherokee Nation reservation boundaries
How much
Up to $20,000 down payment assistance plus credit coaching
Income cap
80% of national median income (NAHASDA, eff. June 11, 2026): $85,450 family of 4; $59,850 1-person; $112,800 8-person
Price cap
None stated; home at least 540 sq ft on under 5 acres
Only for first-timers?
Yes
Also note
No ownership in prior 3 years (DV/uninhabitable-home exceptions); no prior HACN/Cherokee Nation homeownership assistance; HACN homebuyer education and self-sufficiency counseling; HACN must approve lender, rate and terms
Application dated 6/26: https://www.hacn.org/media/wqjdgusp/map-app-6-26.pdf. County slugs are approximate: Tulsa, Wagoner and Muskogee are only partly inside the reservation (county mapping not verified on an official page this session).
Nearly every down payment program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies close to Tulsa County teach one, or sit down with you for pre-purchase counseling:
Pulled from HUD's list of housing counseling agencies. Programs don't all accept the same classes.
Which class counts for you? Ask a loan officer who handles Oklahoma programs. They will name the right class and can get your pre-approval rolling in the same conversation. Start my check
Local employers that count
A few of the eligible employers around here:
Tulsa Public Schools
Broken Arrow Public Schools
Union Public Schools
Jenks Public Schools
Owasso Public Schools
Tulsa Police Department
Tulsa Fire Department
Tulsa County Sheriff's Office
Broken Arrow Police Department
EMSA (Emergency Medical Services Authority)
Union and Jenks school employees, Tulsa firefighters and Broken Arrow officers are all on the eligible list for the special rate. The full list of eligible jobs
Questions about Tulsa County
Is the Tulsa limit higher than Oklahoma City's?
Slightly. Tulsa County's 3+ person limit is $113,245, versus $112,355 in Oklahoma County.
I work in Tulsa but want to buy in Wagoner County. Is that OK?
Yes. The program is statewide. The income limit is set by the county where the home is.
Can I combine Shield with a VA loan?
Yes. Gold loans come as FHA, VA, USDA, HUD 184 or Freddie Mac conventional.
Hi there, I'm Kelly. See if you're eligible for down payment assistance in Oklahoma. A couple of minutes is all it takes, and I'll point you the right way.
