CAFA is the Capital Area Finance Authority, a public authority serving the nine parishes surrounding Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It offers homebuyer programs that provide funds for down payment, closing costs, prepaid items, and private mortgage insurance costs.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer to use CAFA programs?

For most CAFA programs, no. With the exception of the CAFA First Home and Hometown Heroes programs, you do not need to be a first-time homebuyer.

What credit score do I need for CAFA assistance?

CAFA Platinum requires a minimum 620 FICO score. The Capital Advantage and Capital Advantage PLUS programs require a minimum 640 FICO score. Income limits by parish also apply.

Can I use CAFA with a Fairway loan?

Yes. Fairway Independent Mortgage is on CAFA's approved lender list, so Denee' Cox can originate CAFA-assisted loans directly.

CAFA: down payment help for the Capital Area.

The Capital Area Finance Authority serves the nine parishes around Baton Rouge with programs that can cover down payment, closing costs, prepaid items — even private mortgage insurance. Here's how they work, minus the government-website energy.

Program details reviewed July 2026. Terms and funding change — always verify current details with Denee' before you plan around them.

Heads up (as of July 2026): The CAFA First Home Program is temporarily on hold — it ran out of funds because so many buyers used it, and CAFA says it will resume when funding is replenished. The good news: CAFA's other down payment assistance programs below are still going strong.

Available

CAFA Platinum

Minimum FICO score: 620
FHA loans up to $472,030
Conventional loans up to $726,200
Income limits by parish apply
First-time buyer status not required

The workhorse. The lowest credit score entry point in the CAFA lineup.

Available

Capital Advantage

Minimum FICO score: 640
Debt-to-income up to 50% with automated approval
Purchase price limits follow agency guidelines
Income limits by parish apply

More DTI flexibility — helpful if student loans or a car note are in the picture.

Available

Capital Advantage PLUS

Minimum FICO score: 640
Debt-to-income up to 50%
Purchase price limits follow agency guidelines
Income limits by parish apply

The enhanced version of Capital Advantage — Denee' can tell you which fits your file better.

On hold — July 2026

CAFA First Home

A first-time-buyer-specific program (minimum 620 FICO; 640 for one participating bank) that proved so popular it temporarily exhausted its funding. CAFA has announced it will update lenders when funds are replenished — ask Denee' for the current status when you're ready.

How it actually works

You talk to a CAFA-approved lender

That's step one, straight from CAFA — and Fairway is on the approved list, so Denee' handles this in-house. No separate applications to a government office.

Denee' matches you to a program

Based on your credit score, income vs. your parish's limits, and the loan type that fits you (FHA, conventional, etc.), she identifies which CAFA program you qualify for.

Assistance is built into your loan

The assistance funds flow through your closing — reducing the cash you bring to the table. You'll see exactly where every dollar lands on your closing disclosure.

You close like any other buyer

Same closing table, same keys, less cash out of pocket. That's the whole trick.

Beyond CAFA

CAFA is the headline act for the Capital Area, but it's not the only help out there. The Louisiana Housing Corporation runs statewide programs, and individual parishes and cities periodically offer their own grants. Because those programs change frequently — funding opens and closes, terms shift — we deliberately don't publish their dollar figures here. Ask Denee' what's currently funded for your parish; that answer is always fresher than any website.

Down payment assistance program terms, availability, and funding are set by the program administrators, change frequently, and may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Program details on this site were last reviewed July 2026. Always verify current terms with your loan officer and the program administrator before relying on them.

Source: Capital Area Finance Authority (thecafa.org), reviewed July 2026.

Find out which program fits you

Denee' can check your parish's income limits and current program funding in one conversation.

Apply with Denee' Talk to Denee' first