Georgia Dream PEN
Georgia Dream PEN for nurses and health care workers
Nurses and staff at Georgia hospitals, clinics, dental offices, nursing homes, home health and more can get up to $12,500 toward a first home with PEN.
Does your role count?
The N in PEN reaches well past nursing. Employees of a state-licensed health care facility qualify, including but not limited to hospitals, medical and dental offices, health departments and nursing homes.
DCA's list also names lab technicians, pharmacy technicians, assisted living workers, Red Cross employees, home health care workers, the Georgia Department of Community Health, public and county health care, and residential mental health facilities. Your lender collects proof of your job for DCA.
Georgia Dream PEN is the Protectors, Educators and Nurses option of the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program, run by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA). It gives 6% of the purchase price or $12,500, whichever is less, as a 0% second mortgage with no monthly payment, paired with a state-set 30-year fixed first mortgage. It is not a grant: you repay it when you sell, refinance or stop living in the home.
Front desk to operating room
The rule is based on where you work, not your license. Billing staff at a licensed medical office, a dental assistant or a hospital environmental services worker may all qualify. A lender confirms your employer fits.
Two-income households
Only one buyer needs a PEN job, but income limits count every adult in the household. Check your combined income against your county's limit before you shop.
Paperwork to have handy
- Proof of employment with a state-licensed health care facility (your lender tells you what DCA accepts)
- 30 days of pay stubs, including shift differentials
- Two years of W-2s
- 60 days of bank statements
- Homebuyer education certificate
Questions we hear a lot
Do I have to be a nurse?
No. Most employees of a state-licensed health care facility qualify, from hospitals and dental offices to nursing homes and home health agencies.
Do pharmacy techs count?
Yes. Pharmacy technicians and lab technicians are named in DCA's list.
Does a travel or agency nurse qualify?
DCA's rule turns on employment with a state-licensed facility. Ask a lender how your staffing arrangement is documented.
