Buying Your First Home in Ontario, California (2026): Programs, Limits and Taxes

City help: what's open and closed

Many first-time buyers start by asking whether the city offers help. For Ontario, the answer today is no, at least for buying.

The City of Ontario ran a program called Keys to Community. Its First-Time Homebuyer Program is closed. The city's Keys to Community page says: "The City has exhausted the program funding allocated to the First-Time Homebuyer Program during its pilot phase and is no longer taking applications. If additional funding becomes available, the City will resume application intakes."

That means you cannot apply now. It also means a reopening is possible but not promised. We will not guess when. Check the city's page yourself.

The same page lists two other programs, and says "Funding is subject to the availability of program funds": a grant for exterior improvements, for "eligible homeowners living in owner-occupied homes," and a no-interest home repair loan for "eligible homeowners and qualified home buyers" whose home is in Ontario and owner-occupied. Ask the city whether the repair loan fits your purchase.

State and county programs

Ontario is in San Bernardino County. That matters because many program limits are set by county.

The county. San Bernardino County's housing office says it "no longer offers down payment assistance" and points buyers to its "Down Payment Assistance Directory for a list of resources." So the county is a place to find a list, not a program to apply to.

CalHFA. The California Housing Finance Agency runs state programs, including MyHome Assistance and CalPLUS. You use a CalHFA-approved lender to get them. Read our plain-language guide to CalHFA MyHome Assistance. CalHFA also keeps a Find a Loan Officer list of officers who have completed its training.

Dream For All. CalHFA isn't taking new applications: its portal closed March 16, 2026, and "no new applications can be started". If you were not picked, or you missed it, see Dream For All Is Closed: What Are My Options in 2026?.

GSFA Platinum. The Golden State Finance Authority offers GSFA Platinum through participating lenders. It works differently from CalHFA, and the way it is repaid is different too. Read GSFA Platinum: how it works and what to compare.

Every one of these programs has eligibility rules, and funds are limited and subject to availability. Ask us for the current rules the day you call, and check the agency page too.

Income limits

Some programs cap the household income you can have. Here is what the agencies publish for San Bernardino County, which includes Ontario.

CalHFA also has no sales price limit (see its bulletin PB 2020-07). Other limits, such as loan limits, still apply. A limit can change, so confirm on the day you decide.

For the full picture, with more counties and notes, read Income limits in the Inland Empire for 2026.

Ontario Ranch and new homes: special taxes

Part of Ontario is called Ontario Ranch. The City of Ontario's economic development site says Ontario Ranch spans "13 square miles" and calls it "the largest master-planned community in Southern California." If you look at a new home there, there's a tax question older homes may not have.

The basic property tax. California's Proposition 13 limits the general property tax rate to 1 percent of assessed value, plus any voter-approved bonds, as the San Bernardino County Assessor explains. "Assessed value" is the value the county puts on the home for tax purposes.

The special tax. A home inside a Community Facilities District pays an extra yearly special tax, often called Mello-Roos. The City of Fontana's explanation describes these districts as areas where property owners voted to impose special taxes or assessments to pay for public improvements. Not every home has one. Those that do pay it on top of the basic tax, and it can change what you can afford each month. Our guide to Mello-Roos in Rancho Fontana, Ontario Ranch goes deeper.

What we could not find. We have not found published per-home special tax rates for Ontario Ranch. So we will not guess a number. Here is how to get the real one for the home you want:

1. On a new home, ask the builder. The builder is the seller. Ask for the Notice of Special Tax for your lot, in writing, before you sign.
2. Read the notice. It shows the tax for that lot. Ask what it covers and whether it is scheduled to change.
3. On a home that already has a tax bill, read the bill from the San Bernardino County Tax Collector.
4. Tell your lender. The special tax is part of your monthly housing cost, and we will include it when we look at your numbers.

When you compare homes, include the special tax in each one.

How to choose a lender

Looking for the best lender for a first home in Ontario? Nobody can honestly name one without a published, sourced ranking. Here is what we would check, whoever you pick.

• Is the loan officer licensed? You can look up a loan officer on NMLS Consumer Access.
• Is the lender approved for the program you want? For CalHFA, use its loan officer directory, and read how to choose a CalHFA-approved lender.
• Will they show you the whole loan on one page? What you will owe, when, and to whom, for the first mortgage and any assistance together.
• Do they talk about credit honestly? Minimums depend on the loan type and change. See credit score minimums in 2026.
• Do they answer special tax questions? If they brush it off, ask again.
• Have you talked to a counselor? HUD's counselor search helps you find a HUD-approved housing counselor.

Talk to more than one lender. That is good practice, and we say so even though we are one.

"We tell you our entire process: what to look out for, how we work and how our team is different. We also walk you through the entire process and share best practices." (Colleen Olivas)

Questions buyers ask