California lawmakers are considering a bill that would expand the state’s zero-down home loan program to illegal immigrants. Assembly Bill 1840, introduced by Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno), aims to make illegal immigrants eligible for the California Dream for All program, which provides interest-free loans for a down payment on a home for first-time buyers.
The program currently offers up to 20 percent of the purchase price of a house or condominium, with no interest or monthly payments. Instead, the loan is repaid when the mortgage is refinanced or the house is sold, with the borrower paying back the original amount of the loan plus 20 percent of the increase in the home’s value.
Assembly Bill 1840 is an insult to California citizens who are being left behind and priced out of homeownership. I'm all for helping first-time homebuyers, but give priority to those who are here in our state legally. #CADeservesBetter pic.twitter.com/tBbGFr1ZE9
— Senator Brian Dahle (@BrianDahleCA) February 28, 2024
The proposed expansion of this program to illegal immigrants has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it is unfair to offer such benefits to those who are in the country illegally, while many American citizens and legal residents struggle to afford a home. Supporters of the bill, however, argue that homeownership should be accessible to everyone and that the social and economic benefits of homeownership should not be limited to those who are in the country legally.
