Housing Assistance for Teachers
In rural Mississippi there exists a critical shortage of qualified teachers. In order to move Mississippi forward, our children must have the benefits of a quality education.
In response to this need, the Mississippi Legislature passed the “Mississippi Critical Teacher Shortage Act of 1998”, which offers attractive incentives for qualified teachers.
The Housing Assistance for Teachers Program (HAT) was designed to assist with funding to help teachers buy homes. Making homeownership easier will certainly encourage teachers to move to these shortage areas.
Eligible Residential Counties & Subject Areas
Mississippi Critical Shortage Subject Areas
• Special Education
• Mathematics
• Foreign Language (French, German, Spanish)
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
County | School District |
---|---|
Adams | Natchez-Adams SD |
Amite | Amite County SD |
Attala | Attala County SD Kosciusko SD |
Benton | Benton County SD |
Bolivar | North Bolivar Consolidated SD West Bolivar Consolidated SD |
Carroll | Carroll County SD |
Chickasaw | Chickasaw County SD Okolona Separated SD |
Claiborne | Claiborne County SD |
Clarke | Quitman SD |
Coahoma | Coahoma County SD Coahoma Agricultural High School Clarksdale SD Clarksdale Collegiate |
Copiah | Copiah County SD Hazlehurst City SD |
Covington | Covington County SD |
Desoto | Desoto County SD |
Forrest | Forrest County SD Forrest County SD Agricultural Hattiesburg SD |
Grenada | Grenada SD |
Harrison | Pass Christian SD |
Hinds | Hinds County SD Smilow Collegiate Re-imagine Prep Jackson Public Schools Clinton SD Midtown Public Smilow Prep Ambition Prep |
Holmes | Holmes County Consolidated SD |
Humphreys | Humphreys County SD |
Jackson | Moss Point SD |
Jasper | East Jasper Consolidated SD West Jasper Consolidated SD |
Jefferson | Jefferson County SD |
Jefferson Davis | Jefferson Davis County SD |
Jones | Laurel SD |
Kemper | Kemper County SD |
Lauderdale | Meridian Public SD |
Leake | Leake County SD |
Lee | Lee County SD |
Leflore | Greenwood-Leflore Consolidated SD |
Madison | Canton SD |
Marshall | Marshall County SD Holly Springs SD |
Newton | Newton Municipal SD Union SD |
Noxubee | Noxubee County SD |
Oktibbeha | Starkville-Oktibbeha SD |
Panola | North Panola SD |
Pearl River | Picayune SD |
Perry | Perry County SD Richton SD |
Pike | North Pike SD McComb SD |
Prentiss | Baldwyn SD Booneville SD |
Quitman | Quitman County SD |
Scott | Scott County SD Forest Municipal SD |
Sharkey | South Delta SD |
Simpson | Simpson County SD |
Smith | Smith County SD |
Sunflower | Sunflower County SD |
Tallahatchie | East Tallahatchie SD West Tallahatchie SD |
Tippah | North Tippah SD South Tippah SD |
Tishomingo | Tishomingo County SD |
Tunica | Tunica County SD |
Union | New Albany SD |
Walthall | Walthall County SD |
Warren | Vicksburg Warren SD |
Washington | Hollandale SD Leland SD Western Line SD Greenville SD |
Wayne | Wayne County SD |
Webster | Webster County SD |
Wilkinson | Wilkinson County SD |
Winston | Louisville SD |
Yalobusha | Coffeeville SD |
Yazoo | Yazoo County SD Yazoo City SD |

Who is eligible:
- Applicants who agree to render service as a teacher in the district for three years starting with the beginning of the school year
- Applicants meeting the credit eligibility requirements of FHA, VA, RD Guaranteed, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
Program Requirements:
- 25 or 30-year fixed loan rate
- FHA, VA, RD Guaranteed, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
- Credit score dependent upon LTV
- Mortgage Insurance required (depending on LTV)
Features of the HAT Program:
- Grant assistance is forgiven if the approved licensed teacher satisfies a required executed Loan Agreement. The Loan Agreement requires the applicant to be employed for a period of no less than three (3) years in a school district where a critical shortage of teachers exist. Your participating lender has access to this document.
- MS Dept. of Education assistance will cover the amount of borrower funds needed to close on a home up to and not to exceed $6,000.
- MS Dept. of Education assistance can be used to cover required down payment (less borrower’s 1% required contribution), borrower paid closing costs, prepaid expenses, and Mortgage Insurance, if applicable, depending upon the amount of additional down payment paid over the required amount (contact your lender).
- Homebuyer(s) must provide a minimum down payment from one’s own funds of 1% of the sales price and one month’s reserves. Reserves requirement may be gifted from a relative, but not the 1% down payment contribution.
- No income limits unless using with another MHC loan product (see other program guidelines).
- Residential property must be located within the county where the teacher is employed and is designated by the MS Department of Education as a critical shortage school district.