City of Charlotte

HouseCharlotte employee tier: $30,000 without a match for public workers

If you work for the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and your household earns above 80% up to 110% of area median income, HouseCharlotte can lend you up to $30,000 with no matching funds.

Fact sheet

HouseCharlotte employee tier (1B Exemption)

Limited funds

City of Charlotte

For: Borrowers employed by the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools with household income above 80% up to 110% AMI (4-person $129,150); first-time buyers
Amount: Up to $30,000 with no matching-funds requirement (other 80-110% AMI buyers get a $10,000 base plus a match)
Form: Forgivable loan

Covers CMPD officers, Charlotte Fire, city/county staff and CMS teachers. Medic (Mecklenburg EMS Agency) employees aren't named. $365,000 price cap; 0% interest, forgiven at year 31. Source: House Charlotte FAQ, rev. June 2026.

Last checked November 2026 · our sources

Check if I qualify

Watch list: HouseCharlotte employee tier (1B Exemption) draws on a limited pot of money that can be used up. Ask for an alert and you'll hear when a new round is funded.

What the 1B Exemption changes

In the regular 80% to 110% band, HouseCharlotte gives most buyers a $10,000 base and then requires matching dollars from another source to reach $30,000. Employees of three public employers skip that step. The 1B Exemption lets them receive up to $30,000 outright. For a teacher or officer who has no second source of assistance lined up, that can be the difference between $10,000 and $30,000. Because no match is needed, you don't have to track down a nonprofit or bank assistance source before you write an offer.

It keeps the HouseCharlotte loan structure: 0% interest, forgiven at year 31. Read our guide to hero discounts for how this compares with other public-servant offers.

Which jobs count

The House Charlotte FAQ (revised June 2026) extends the tier to people employed by the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. That covers CMPD officers, Charlotte Fire, city and county staff and CMS teachers. Medic, the Mecklenburg EMS Agency, isn't named, so paramedics there should ask before counting on it. You also need to be a first-time buyer, and household income must be above 80% and no more than 110% of area median, which is $129,150 for a family of four, the same ceiling the main program uses for its upper band. Employees who earn 80% or less fall into the main tier instead, where the ceiling with a match is $80,000.

Home and price rules

The $365,000 HouseCharlotte price cap applies here too. The tier is part of HouseCharlotte itself, so the main program's rules, such as buying inside Charlotte city limits and finishing the required homebuyer education, still apply. Our HouseCharlotte guide lists them, and the Mecklenburg County page covers local employers and limits.

Getting it at closing

Tell your loan officer where you work at the start, since the lender applies on your behalf and has to show the employee tier is the right one. Use a House Charlotte approved lender, and expect to document your employment. The tier draws on the same limited HouseCharlotte funds, so plan ahead. Whether it can be stacked with NCHFA's statewide options is a question the participating lender answers. Check your eligibility to get started.

HouseCharlotte employee tier (1B Exemption): questions and answers

Who qualifies for the HouseCharlotte employee tier?

First-time buyers employed by the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools whose household income is above 80% and up to 110% of area median income.

Do Medic paramedics qualify?

Medic (Mecklenburg EMS Agency) employees aren't named in the program FAQ, so confirm with the program before relying on this tier.

Is the employee tier forgivable?

Yes. Like the rest of HouseCharlotte, it is a 0% loan forgiven at year 31, with a $365,000 price cap.

See if I qualify for this one

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