AZIDA Mortgage Explained: Arizona IDA HOME Plus DPA
What is AZIDA? The Arizona Industrial Development Authority runs HOME Plus, which offers up to 4% in down payment assistance on Arizona home loans.
AZIDA stands for the Arizona Industrial Development Authority, the state entity that administers the HOME Plus down payment assistance program. An "AZIDA mortgage" is simply a standard home loan — FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional — paired with HOME Plus assistance of up to 4% of the loan amount. The assistance is a second mortgage that is either forgiven after 60 months or non-forgivable.
What Is AZIDA?
The Arizona Industrial Development Authority is a nonprofit corporation and political subdivision of the State of Arizona. Among its housing initiatives, AZIDA is best known to home buyers as the sponsor of the HOME Plus Home Loan Program, the statewide down payment assistance program available in all 15 Arizona counties.
Key Takeaway: AZIDA is not a lender. You don't apply to AZIDA directly — you access HOME Plus through an approved participating lender, who reserves the assistance on your behalf.
What Is an "AZIDA Mortgage"?
When people search for an "AZIDA mortgage," they usually mean a home loan that includes HOME Plus down payment assistance. Here's how the two pieces fit together:
- First mortgage: A fixed-rate loan (FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional) originated by a participating lender.
- DPA second mortgage: Assistance of up to 4% of the loan amount, structured as a second lien. The forgivable option has no interest and no monthly payments.
- Forgiveness: On the forgivable option, the whole second lien is forgiven once 5 years (60 months) have passed. Sell or refinance before then and it must be repaid in full — see our guide to how Arizona DPA forgiveness works.
HOME Plus Eligibility Snapshot (2026)
| Requirement | HOME Plus Standard |
|---|---|
| Income limit | $155,386 of borrower income (all Arizona counties) |
| Minimum credit score | Program minimum plus the first mortgage's standard; your lender confirms it |
| First-time buyer required? | No |
| Occupancy | Primary residence in Arizona |
| Education | Homebuyer education course required |
Full details on every program are in our Arizona down payment assistance complete guide and on our programs page.
AZIDA HOME Plus vs. Other Arizona DPA
HOME Plus is the statewide flagship, but Pima County buyers should also compare the Pima Tucson Homebuyer's Solution (PTHS). Forgiveness is one difference to check: HOME Plus's forgivable option is forgiven in full after 60 months, while PTHS follows its own program terms, so get those in writing before you choose. Income limits also work differently: HOME Plus uses one flat limit, while PTHS limits vary by household size. Our county income limits guide breaks down the numbers.
How to Get an AZIDA / HOME Plus Loan
- Estimate your assistance with our DPA calculator.
- Get pre-qualified with a participating lender such as Cornerstone First Mortgage.
- Complete homebuyer education — an online course with a certificate required before closing.
- Shop for your home anywhere in Arizona; the lender reserves your HOME Plus funds when you go under contract.
- Close with the assistance applied to your down payment and eligible closing costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AZIDA a mortgage lender?
No. AZIDA sponsors and funds the HOME Plus program, but all loans are originated by approved participating lenders. Your application, underwriting, and closing all happen with the lender.
Is HOME Plus the same thing as an AZIDA loan?
Effectively yes. HOME Plus is the program name; AZIDA is the authority that runs it. A lender may describe the same product as "HOME Plus," "AZIDA DPA," or "Arizona IDA assistance."
Do I have to repay AZIDA assistance?
Not on the forgivable option, as long as you don't sell or refinance during the first 60 months; after that it is forgiven completely. A sale or refinance inside that window means repaying the full second lien, and Arizona IDA grants no exceptions. The non-forgivable option is repaid under its terms, such as when you sell or refinance.
Can repeat buyers use an AZIDA mortgage?
Yes. HOME Plus has no first-time buyer requirement — see our guide to Arizona DPA for non-first-time home buyers.
Next Steps
The Cook Brothers Mortgage Team — Tanner Cook (NMLS #2090424) and Zac Cook (NMLS #2111496) at Cornerstone First Mortgage (NMLS #173855) — works with HOME Plus every day. Take the 60-second eligibility check and we'll tell you exactly what AZIDA assistance you qualify for.
Buying Somewhere in Arizona?
Answer three short questions about where in Arizona you're buying, your credit range and recent home ownership, and a licensed loan officer will follow up on which Arizona programs fit. You pick a credit range; no report is pulled.
Start the Arizona Quiz