ESL Employer Assisted Housing Initiative Grant

You’re taking an exciting step toward homeownership in the City of Rochester and we’re here to support you.

Through a partnership with local participating employers and the City of Rochester, eligible employees can receive financial assistance to make purchasing a home within the city more attainable.

When you and your participating employer partner with ESL Federal Credit Union for your mortgage, ESL will match the City of Rochester’s Grant Award Certificate strengthening the support available to help you purchase your new home.

Getting Started

Taking the first step toward purchasing your first home in the City of Rochester is easy. Here’s how to begin:

  1. Check to see if your employer participates in this program by viewing participating employers below.
  2. Connect with your employer to start your application process and review your employer requirements.
  3. Complete your application with the City of Rochester to obtain the grant award certificate.
    • The City of Rochester’s application review process may take some time, so we encourage you to begin early to ensure a smooth experience.
    • After approval, the City of Rochester will provide you with a Grant Award Certificate, which is required to receive matching funds from ESL.
  4. Connect with an ESL Mortgage Originator to start your mortgage prequalification and review your financial information.
    • Discuss mortgage options.
    • Help determine how much you can afford.
  5. Move forward with your home purchase
    • Your ESL team will guide you through next steps and support you all the way to closing on your first home in the City of Rochester.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for this grant, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Must be an ESL member to participate.
  • Meet your employer’s program requirements. Each participating employer may have different requirements. Review these directly with your employer.
  • You must not currently own, nor have owned a home in the City of Rochester in the past three years.
  • Complete your application with the City of Rochester to obtain the grant award certificate.
  • Qualify for an eligible conventional mortgage.
  • Complete pre purchase homebuyer education.
  • Contribute a minimum of $1,500 of your own funds.
  • One grant allowed per application.
  • Eligible properties include single family residence, condominiums, modular homes and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs).
  • After purchase, you must live in the property for at least five years.

Participating Employers

We’re proud to partner with the following employers who help make this grant possible for their eligible employees. Each employer works directly with the City of Rochester for final grant approval, and ESL matches the approved amount up to the program maximum.1

  • Connected Communities
  • ESL Federal Credit Union

Homeownership Counseling

ESL partners with several counseling agencies to help you with your first-time homeownership education. These partners may provide additional guidance to you throughout your homebuying journey:

Lending Area

The grant funds will be made available to owner occupied, purchased properties that are located within the City of Rochester only.

ESL reserves the right to change the terms and conditions at any time, without prior notice. The Applicant(s) also fully understand that the limited funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis and even if the Household meets all the terms and conditions, this does not guarantee that there will be funds available at the time that the Household qualifies for the grant. ESL, in its sole discretion, may refuse to honor an Employer Assisted Housing Initiative request. The Applicant(s) further agree that any proceeds which is not used for the purposes approved by ESL will be recaptured and any unused grant funds will be retained by ESL.

The ESL Employer Assisted Housing Initiated Grant dollars may be considered taxable income, a pro-rated 1099C will be issued each year, over the five-year retention/recapture period. Consult with your tax adviser.

ESL Employer Assisted Housing Initiated Grant may be used in conjunction with other eligible grant(s). The ESL Employer Assisted Housing Initiated Grant funds must be used for down payment and closing cost assistance.

1: Actual grant approved by the Employer/City is subject to change.