11 California Towns Offering Cash, Land, or Free Rent If You Move There in 2026

California just hit a record $914,000 median home price. So why are towns across the state handing out cash grants, near-free desert land, and rent cheaper than your phone bill? In this video, we count down 12 California towns and cities offering serious financial incentives to anyone willing to move there in 2026. We're talking six-figure down payment assistance, forgivable loans, ghost towns selling homes for under $100K, and one city writing checks for half a million dollars. Every program on this list is real, active, and available right now (or launching soon). Most of them barely get covered anywhere online. Whether you're a renter trying to break into the California market, a remote worker looking for a cost-of-living cheat code, or a first responder who deserves to live in the city you serve, there's something on this list for you. 💰 THE FULL COUNTDOWN: #12: Sacramento — CalHome DPA up to $40,000 #11: Santa Ana — Zero-interest $40,000 loan #10: San Diego — $50,000 combined package #9: Orange County — MAP program up to $80,000 #8: Susanville — Rent under $700/month in California #7: Darwin — Population 30, homes under $100K near Death Valley #6: Paradise — Wildfire rebuild grants and forgivable loans #5: CalHFA Dream For All — $150,000 lottery (statewide) #4: Los Angeles — LIPA program up to $161,000 #3: Placer County — $100,000 DPA + USDA zero-down eligible #2: Alameda County — AC Boost up to $210,000 #1: San Francisco — DALP up to $500,000 📌 KEY PROGRAMS MENTIONED: • CalHome Program (Sacramento/statewide) — State HCD-funded DPA grants administered locally. $181M funded in Dec 2025 across 22 counties. • Santa Ana DPA — City-level zero-interest deferred loan, up to $40K. • San Diego Housing Commission — $40K deferred loan + $10K closing-cost grant for middle-income buyers (80-150% AMI). • Orange County MAP — Silent second mortgage up to $80K, no monthly payments. Stackable with state programs. • CalHFA Dream For All — Up to 20% of purchase price / $150K cap. Lottery-based. 2026 window: Feb 24 – Mar 16. • Los Angeles LIPA/MIPA — Deferred second mortgage up to $161K (low-income) or $90-115K (moderate-income). • Placer County First-Time Buyer Program — Up to $100K, income ceiling 150% AMI. USDA zero-down zones available. • Alameda County AC Boost — Up to $210K, interest-free. Doubled access for educators and first responders. • San Francisco DALP — Up to $500K shared-equity assistance. First Responders DALP also up to $500K. ⚠️ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Program funding, eligibility, and application windows change frequently. Every detail in this video was verified at time of production, but always confirm directly with the administering agency or a participating lender before making financial decisions. This video is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly videos on the best places to live, affordable towns nobody talks about, smart real estate moves, and everything about life in America. 📬 Got a tip on a town we should cover? Drop it in the comments. 🔍 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Q: Can I stack multiple programs together? A: Yes. Many of these programs are designed to layer on top of each other. For example, a buyer in Sacramento could combine CalHome ($40K) with Dream For All ($150K) for nearly $200K in total assistance. A buyer in Santa Ana could stack the city program ($40K) with the countywide Orange County MAP ($80K) plus a CalHFA loan. Always work with a participating lender who understands program stacking. Q: Do I have to be low-income to qualify? A: Not for all programs. Placer County's program covers households earning up to 150% of AMI. San Diego's covers up to 150% AMI. The Dream For All loan is available to a wide income range depending on county. Some programs like GSFA Platinum don't even require first-time buyer status. Q: What about the $25 billion ballot measure? A: The Middle-Class Homeownership and Family Home Construction Act qualified for the November 2026 ballot. If passed, it could fund a massive new statewide second-mortgage DPA program starting in 2027. We'll cover it in detail as the vote approaches. #California #AffordableHousing #MoveToCalifornia #CaliforniaRealEstate #DownPaymentAssistance #FreeLand #CheapRent #CalHFA #DreamForAll #FirstTimeHomeBuyer #BestPlacesToLive #CaliforniaTowns #HousingGrants #RelocationIncentives #BudgetLiving #AmericanTowns #RealEstateTips #2026