For Colorado's first responders · New November 2026
CHFA Colorado Champions Program: Home Loans for Colorado First Responders
Peace officers, firefighters, EMTs, 911 dispatchers, corrections, port of entry and wildlife officers can now get a 30-year fixed-rate CHFA home loan with up to $25,000 in down payment assistance. I'm Rogelio Rodríguez, a bilingual Realtor® and former mortgage lender, and I'll help you use it to buy a home in the community you serve.
What is Colorado Champions?
A home loan program for the people who protect us
The CHFA Colorado Champions℠ program from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) helps first responders and law enforcement buy homes in the communities where they work. It pairs a fixed-rate CHFA first mortgage with an optional CHFA down payment assistance (DPA) second mortgage, and it has a higher income limit than CHFA's standard programs, so many officers and firefighters who earned too much for CHFA before can now qualify.
It is not limited to first-time homebuyers, there's no purchase price limit, and CHFA says the program does not have limited funds. CHFA began accepting loans under the program on November 2, 2026.
Program at a glance
Colorado Champions highlights
Up to $25K
Down payment assistance: the lesser of $25,000 or 4% of your first mortgage
30-yr fixed
FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac first mortgage
$196,810
Statewide income limit, regardless of county or household size
620
Minimum middle credit score for all scored borrowers
✔ Not limited to first-time buyers ✔ No purchase price limit ✔ Only $1,000 of your own money (a gift is OK)
Who is a "Colorado Champion"?
Who qualifies for CHFA Colorado Champions
At least one borrower on the loan must work in one of these roles, be employed by a Colorado employer and work in Colorado. Your lender will document it with a certification, a current paystub, an employment verification or another employer document.
Peace officers
- P.O.S.T.-certified peace officers
- Non-certified deputy sheriffs
- Emergency communications specialists (911 dispatchers)
- Corrections officers
- Port of entry officers
- Wildlife officers
Firefighters
- Employed by or volunteering with a fire department or fire protection district
Your lender confirms your role with your department.
Emergency medical technicians
- EMTs with a current, valid certificate from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)
Only one borrower needs to qualify. A spouse or co-borrower can be in any line of work.
How the program works
Two loans, one closing
1. CHFA first mortgage
- 30-year fixed interest rate
- FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae (HFA Preferred™) or Freddie Mac (HFA Advantage®) purchase loans
- Single-family homes, townhomes and PUDs, condos, modular homes and manufactured homes on a permanent foundation
- The home must be your primary residence
2. CHFA down payment assistance
- Up to the lesser of $25,000 or 4% of your first mortgage amount
- Can help with down payment, closing costs and prepaids
- 0% interest, no monthly payment
- It is a loan, not a grant: you repay it when you sell, refinance or pay off the first mortgage, at the end of the loan term, or if the home stops being your primary residence
General requirements
- Middle credit score of 620 or higher
- Household borrower income at or below $196,810 (based on your lender's qualifying income calculation)
- At least $1,000 of your own funds toward the purchase (a gift is allowed)
- Every borrower completes a CHFA-approved homebuyer education class before closing (certificates are good for 12 months)
- Debt-to-income up to 50% (credit 620–659) or 55% (credit 660+)
- Meet the underwriting guidelines of a CHFA Participating Lender: CHFA doesn't lend to you directly
CHFA offers the program as CHFA Colorado Champions and CHFA Colorado Champions Plus. A CHFA-approved lender will compare both options, rates and payments for your situation.
Background
How the Colorado Champions program came about
Across Colorado, many of the people who answer our 911 calls can't afford to live in the towns they protect. During the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers heard that a buyer needs an income of roughly $170,000 to afford a median-priced home in rural Colorado, while state troopers average about $92,000 a year (Redfin figures reported by CBS Colorado).
The answer was Senate Bill 26-053, the "Colorado Champions Home Loan Program." It was a bipartisan bill, sponsored by Senators Kyle Mullica and Barbara Kirkmeyer and Representatives Chad Clifford and Ryan Gonzalez. Instead of creating a new state-funded program, it opened CHFA's existing home loan programs to law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs and their families, with an income cap set at 110% of CHFA's regular limits. CHFA, which is self-supporting and receives no direct state appropriations, then designed the program within its existing lending structure.
Photo: Office of Governor Jared Polis
- February 12, 2026Senate Local Government & Housing Committee advances SB26-053, 6–1.
- April 17, 2026Governor Jared Polis signs SB26-053 into law.
- November 2, 2026CHFA launches CHFA Colorado Champions℠ with its Participating Lenders.
Timing your move
Understanding the local market is how you know it's the right time
A great loan program is only half the picture. The other half is knowing your local market well enough to recognize a real opportunity when it shows up. Denver Metro isn't one market: a zip code in Thornton, Aurora or Green Valley Ranch can move very differently from Lakewood or Westminster in the same month.
Before you make a move, I'll walk you through the numbers that matter for the area where you work and want to live:
- Months of inventory: are buyers or sellers in control right now?
- Days on market and price reductions: how much room is there to negotiate?
- Sale-to-list price: what homes really sell for, not just what they're listed for
- Seller concessions and builder incentives: money that can lower your rate or cover closing costs
- Interest rates vs. rent: what owning would cost each month compared with what you pay now
When those numbers line up with your budget, your CHFA approval and your schedule (shift work included), that's your moment. Being pre-approved and through your homebuyer class ahead of time means you can act on it.
Your Realtor® for Colorado Champions
Why work with Rogelio Rodríguez
I'm Rogelio Rodríguez, a bilingual Realtor® with Vida Properties ROA and over 25 years in real estate. Before I helped families buy and sell homes, I sat on the other side of the desk: I was a mortgage lender and a HUD-certified housing counselor. I've also served as past president of NAHREP Denver and in leadership roles on local REALTOR® boards.
That background matters with a program like Colorado Champions. I know how a CHFA file is built, which documents slow a closing down, how DPA affects your payment, and what homebuyer education is meant to prepare you for, so you hear it straight from the start, in English o en español.
I pair you with experienced CHFA-approved lenders
CHFA doesn't lend to buyers directly; every loan goes through a CHFA Participating Lender. I work alongside highly effective, experienced loan officers who are CHFA-approved and know this program well. I'll introduce you, help you compare their quotes, and we'll work as one team from pre-approval through closing, built around your shift schedule. You're always free to choose any CHFA Participating Lender you like.
Getting started
Your path to homeownership as a Colorado Champion
1
Free consultation
We talk about your goals, your timeline and where you want to live, and confirm your role qualifies.
2
Pre-approval with a CHFA lender
I connect you with an experienced CHFA-approved lender to check credit, income and DPA.
4
Shop, offer, close
We study the local market, find the right home, negotiate, and close both loans together.
FAQ
Colorado Champions frequently asked questions
Is CHFA Colorado Champions only for first-time homebuyers?
No. CHFA says the program is not restricted to first-time homebuyers. The home you buy must be your primary residence.
Do 911 dispatchers qualify?
Yes. Emergency communications specialists, whose duties include receiving, triaging or dispatching 911, emergency and public safety calls, are included as peace officers under the program.
Is the down payment assistance a grant?
No. It is a 0% CHFA second mortgage with no monthly payment. You repay it when you sell, refinance or pay off the first mortgage, at the end of the loan term, or if the home is no longer your primary residence.
How much down payment assistance can I get?
Up to the lesser of $25,000 or 4% of your first mortgage amount. It can be used toward your down payment, closing costs and prepaids.
What is the income limit?
The statewide CHFA Colorado Champions income limit is $196,810, regardless of county or household size, based on your lender's qualifying income calculation.
Is there a purchase price limit?
CHFA's program matrix lists no purchase price limit. Your loan amount is still limited by the loan type (FHA, VA, USDA or conventional limits) and by what you qualify for.
Can I use a VA loan?
Yes. Eligible loan types include FHA, VA, USDA-RD, Fannie Mae HFA Preferred and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage 30-year fixed purchase loans.
Does only one borrower need to be a first responder?
Yes. At least one borrower must be a qualifying peace officer, firefighter or EMT employed by a Colorado employer and working in Colorado.
Official program details: CHFA Colorado Champions program page.
You protect Colorado. Let me help you put down roots here.
Find out if you qualify for Colorado Champions
Call or book a free, no-pressure consultation. I'll review the program with you, introduce you to a CHFA-approved lender, and show you what's happening in the market where you want to live.
¿Prefiere español? Le atiendo en español.
Program information is summarized from CHFA's published Colorado Champions program page and matrix (effective November 2, 2026) and is subject to change. Rates, terms and eligibility are set by CHFA and your CHFA Participating Lender; this page is not a commitment to lend. Rogelio Rodríguez is a Realtor® with Vida Properties ROA and is not a lender, and Vida Properties ROA is not affiliated with CHFA. CHFA Colorado Champions℠ is a service mark of the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. Equal Housing Opportunity.