Affordable Housing Program

Affordable Housing Program

The Affordable Housing Program (AHP) offers grants and loans to help our members partner with community developers and public agencies to create affordable housing in local communities. 

What is the Affordable Housing Program?

AHP provides grants and subsidized loans for the acquisition, construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing for households with incomes at or below 80% of the area median income. Housing developers partner with FHLBank Pittsburgh (FHLBank) members to apply for AHP funding, which is offered through one competitive funding round each year. Grants are awarded to the highest scoring projects.

2024 AHP AND 2024 VOLUNTARY HOUSING GRANT INITIATIVE RECIPIENTS

The last three AHP funding round highest and lowest approved scores were:

2024: 78.5 highest; 67.5 lowest
2023: 75 highest; 65 lowest (resulted in tiebreaker)
2022: 79 highest; 68 lowest

To accommodate individuals impacted by recent natural disasters, FHLBank is now permitted to temporarily allow vacant rental units assisted by the Affordable Housing Program to be temporarily leased to individuals/households, regardless of their income, who were displaced by select disasters. Prior to accepting households that may qualify, project sponsors must notify and receive the written approval from FHLBank. Sponsors may email ahp@fhlb-pgh.com for further information and assistance.

Voluntary housing grant initiative

For 2025, FHLBank Pittsburgh (FHLBank) is providing $17.0 million to affordable housing projects in Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, which is FHLBank's district. This offering for in-district projects is the voluntary housing grant initiative, which is separate and distinct from FHLBank's statutory Affordable Housing Program (AHP). The voluntary housing grant initiative provides competitive grants to affordable housing developers, including nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and housing and redevelopment authorities that are engaged in creating or rehabilitating affordable housing. Under the voluntary housing grant initiative, projects may be awarded up to $150,000 per unit and a maximum of $1,500,000 per project.

Voluntary Housing Grant Initiative Information

Product Resources

Applying For Funding
2025 AHP Implementation Plan [PDF]
AHP Application Assistance Request 2025 [PDF]
AHP Application Guidebook for Sponsors and Members [PDF]
AHP Implementation Plan - Prior Years [PDF]
AHP Online Sponsor Registration Guide [PDF]
Guide to Completing the 2025 Affordable Housing Program Application [PDF]
Member/Sponsor Match Request Form [URL]
Qualified Low-Income Minority Area Census Tracts [EXCEL]
Streamlined Review Process [PDF]

AHP Application Attachments
2025 Homeownership Financial Feasibility Workbook [PDF]
2025 Rental Financial Feasibility Workbook [PDF]
AHP 2025 Development Milestones [PDF]
AHP Cost Reasonableness Guidelines [PDF]
AHP Feasibility Workbooks [PDF]
All Projects - Relocation Form (AHP VHG DISB 101) [PDF]
Community Planning Form [PDF]
Developer Experience Form [PDF]
Empowerment Memorandum of Understanding Form [PDF]
Fair Housing [PDF]
Preservation of Existing Subsidized Housing [PDF]
Project Ownership Chart - Rental [EXCEL]
Property Conveyance Form [PDF]
Property of Historic Significance Form [PDF]
Rental - Tenant Income Workbook (AHP VHG R MON 119) [PDF]
Rural Designation Certification Form [PDF]
Sponsor Experience Form [PDF]
Sponsorship by Qualifying Organization Form - Homeownership [PDF]
Sponsorship by Qualifying Organization Form – Rental [PDF]
Sustained Affordability Certification Form - Homeownership [PDF]
Sustained Affordability Certification Form - Rental [PDF]

AHP / VHG Form Selection Guide

[PDF]

AHP Cost Reasonableness Guidelines - Prior Years

[PDF]

AHP Feasibility Workbooks - Prior Years

[PDF]

AHP Implementation Plan - Prior Years

[PDF]

FFD Income Workbook

[PDF]

AHP Online Guides - Projects Awarded Before Dec. 31, 2018

AHP Online Disbursement Guide for Members

[PDF]

AHP Online Disbursement Guide for Sponsors

[PDF]

AHP Online Extension Request Guide for Sponsors

[PDF]

AHP Online Project Completion Report Guide for Sponsors

[PDF]

AHP Online Semi-Annual Progress Report Guide for Sponsors

[PDF]

 
AHP Online Guides - Projects Awarded After Jan. 1, 2019

AHP and VHG Retention Information

[PDF]

AHP Online Disbursement Guide for Members

[PDF]

AHP Online Disbursement Guide for Sponsors of Owner-Occupied Projects

[PDF]

AHP Online Disbursement Guide for Sponsors of Rental Projects

[PDF]

AHP Online Project Completion Report Guide for Sponsors of Homeownership Projects

[PDF]

AHP Online Project Completion Report Guide for Sponsors of Rental Projects

[PDF]

AHP Online Semi-Annual Progress Report Guide for Sponsors

[PDF]

AHP Online Sponsor Registration Guide

[PDF]

Income Guidelines

[EXCEL]

Rent Calculation Guidance

[PDF]

2024 AHP and Voluntary Housing Grant Initiative Awardee Webinar

[URL]

2024 AHP and Voluntary Housing Grant Initiative Awardee Webinar

[PDF]

2025 AHP and Voluntary Housing Grant Initiative Fundamentals Webinar

[URL]

2025 AHP and Voluntary Housing Grant Initiative Fundamentals Webinar

[PDF]

AHP Online Income Workbook Webinar

[URL]

What You'll Gain

How Does AHP Benefit Members?

FHLBank members benefit from AHP in a variety of ways.

Learn how membership works

Helps establish and expand community relationships
Capitalizes on spin-off investment and related business opportunities
Qualifies for Community Reinvestment Act credit
Generates community goodwill
Provides public recognition for community investments

What Qualifies for AHP Funding?

AHP grants and loans can be used for:

  • Single- and multi-family housing
  • New construction and rehabilitation
  • Rental and owner-occupied homes
  • Scattered-site housing development
  • Transitional and single-room-occupancy housing

AHP grants and loans can support the development of housing intended for underserved populations. These housing projects may be targeted to very low-income households, individuals with special needs, the homeless or veterans, among others. Typically these projects are service enriched, and the project sponsors are able to offer a menu of supportive services, such as counseling, vocational and educational services; medical support; and other forms of assistance funded through complementary sources.

How to Apply

Applications for AHP funding are accepted when the funding round is open. Once the funding round closes, we review the applications received for scoring and feasibility. Based on the results, our Board of Directors approves award recipients. Once notified of funding approval, awardees must draw down funds within 12 months of the approval date.

Provided below are step-by-step instructions for completing the AHP application.

Already an AHP Recipient? Approved AHP projects are required to be monitored in accordance with AHP regulations.

monitoring guidelines

AHP Application Process

Step 1: Find Your AHP Partner

Each AHP application must be completed by a project sponsor (i.e., housing developer or public agency) and submitted by an FHLBank member.

FHLBank members that are interested in participating in AHP and looking to connect with project sponsors, as well as sponsors in need of an FHLBank member to support their AHP application, can now request an organizational match by completing the AHP Member/Sponsor Match Request Form. Once you request a match, we will contact you to learn more about your organization's needs and help identify a possible AHP application partner.

Step 2: Register as an AHP Online System User

All AHP applications must be submitted to FHLBank electronically via AHP Online, accessed through the Bank's transaction site.

Members that do not currently have access to AHP Online can acquire it through their institution's Security Administrator (SA), who manages all access and roles for their institution.

Use the Registering in AHP Online guide for step-by-step instructions.

Project sponsors who already registered in AHP Online in previous funding rounds can still use their existing login and password information. Project sponsors new to the system must register as a new user.

If you have lost your password, or if you are not sure whether or not you are successfully registered in the AHP system, please call the FHLBank's Community Investment Department at 800-288-3400, option 3, for assistance.

Step 3: Initiate an AHP Application

Once a funding round opens, sponsors may initiate their application in AHP Online. To initiate an application, you must be a registered user and have the following information available:

  • Contact information for lead sponsor, those with input roles and the member financial institution
  • Name of project
  • Project's five-digit ZIP code
  • Type of project (rental, lease-purchase, homeownership)
  • Type of construction (new construction, rehabilitation)

We recommend beginning this process early in the round. The AHP application is lengthy and requires information from multiple sources.

Step 4: Complete Your AHP Application

AHP applications receive scoring points based on a variety of criteria, as defined in the AHP Implementation Plan. The highest scoring applications qualify to receive AHP funding. As all application submissions are considered final, it is important to submit a complete application.

Step 5: Submit Your AHP Application

Applications must be in 'Member Approved' status by the funding round deadline to be accepted. This is accomplished by the following steps:

  1. One of the lead sponsor contacts moves the application's status from 'Pending' to 'Sponsor Approved'.
  2. An email is then generated by AHP Online and sent to the member contacts associated with the application informing them that the application has obtained 'Sponsor Approved' status.
  3. One of the member contacts completes the two member screens and moves the application to the 'Member Approved' status.
  4. Once the application status is 'Member Approved,' email verifications are generated by AHP Online and sent to all contacts associated with the application, and the submission is complete. Please note that all submissions are considered final.
Step 6: FHLBank Application Review

All applications are reviewed by Bank staff, and the AHP grant awards are announced on the designated date.

Program Information

PDF

2025 AHP Implementation Plan

Affordable Housing Program Implementation Plan approved by FHLBank's Board of Directors on February 14, 2025.

Download
PDF

AHP Online Sponsor Registration Guide

A guide to help new project sponsor contacts register in AHP Online.

Download
PDF

AHP Product Profile - Housing Developer

Our Affordable Housing Program provides grants and subsidized loans to affordable housing developers that are engaged in creating or rehabilitating affordable housing - up to $1,500,000 per project.

Download
PDF

AHP Product Profile - Member

Our Affordable Housing Program (AHP) is a source of flexible grants and subsidized advances for affordable housing development. Our members are the link between developers and those funds.

Download
URL

Member/Sponsor Match Request Form

FHLBank members and project sponsors can complete this form and submit for assistance in connecting with potential partners.

Open
Excel

Qualified Low-Income Minority Area Census Tracts

List of census tracts eligible for consideration under the Low-Income Minority Area scoring category.

Download
PDF

Registering in AHP Online

Use the Registering in AHP Online guide for step-by-step instructions.

Download
Image

Our members are the link between our cooperative’s funds and local housing needs. First Columbia’s support of this project is a testament to their commitment to serving the needs in their backyard and demonstrates how the FHLBank’s AHP can help to address those needs.”

John Bendel
Senior Director of Community Investment, FHLBank
Image

Ask Us More About AHP

Helping Members Strengthen Their Communities

View All
Customers Bank Uses AHP to Fund 21 New Units in Philadelphia's Diamond Park Neighborhood

Customers Bank Uses AHP to Fund 21 New Units in Philadelphia's Diamond Park Neighborhood

Jonestown Bank & Trust Co. Uses AHP to Support Affordable Housing

Jonestown Bank & Trust Co. Uses AHP to Support Affordable Housing

Jonestown Bank & Trust Co. Utilizes AHP to Create More Accessible Homes

Jonestown Bank & Trust Co. Utilizes AHP to Create More Accessible Homes