Limited Program Offered New Pathway to Homeownership for West Virginia Veterans

One-time funding allowed eligible veterans to purchase their first home

Military service members like Brooks Martin are used to moving frequently from place to place. Martin, a member of the West Virginia Air National Guard 130th Airlift Wing based out of Charleston, moved a dozen times between 2012 and 2025, when he purchased his own home through the West Virginia Veterans’ Home Loan Mortgage Program.

“As early as 2017, I was looking at houses in the Charleston area, but as time passed, through the rise in housing prices and interest rates, I felt nearly priced out of being able to afford a home,” Martin said.

The West Virginia Veterans’ Home Loan Mortgage Program was created by the Legislature in 2024 with a one-time funding allocation from the State’s Unclaimed Property Trust Fund to offer eligible military veterans, active service members, and surviving spouses an alternate pathway to homeownership. To qualify, borrowers had to be first-time home buyers, purchase in West Virginia, and contribute $2,500 of their own funds toward the purchase. Through the program, borrowers could access the Fund’s lowest interest rates and downpayment assistance without tapping into their VA benefits. The Program helped 32 military families achieve their dreams of homeownership.

“The West Virginia Housing Development Fund has worked for decades to make affordable homeownership possible for West Virginians, including our veterans, and this program helped advance that mission,” said Jon Rogers, Senior Division Manager of Single-Family Lending for the Fund. “We know that our military service members often sacrifice homeownership in service to our country, so we’re proud to have helped more than 30 military families achieve long-term housing stability and allow them to put down roots in communities across the state.”

The Fund’s Partner Lenders were instrumental in promoting the program and connecting eligible veterans to low-interest rate loans. These Partner Lenders, located in communities throughout the state, work with buyers to secure home loans through the Fund’s programs.

“Our Partner Lenders are knowledgeable about all of our programs and see first-hand how they lower the barrier to entry for first-time home buyers,” Rogers said. “Like us, they were very excited to offer a new pathway to help veterans access the benefits of homeownership.”

Martin’s was the last loan to close before program funds were exhausted in February 2025. He said that although his new house is small, it allows him to stay in West Virginia close to family and friends.

“The West Virginia Veterans' Home Loan Mortgage Program is what made the dream of homeownership a realistic one,” he said. “The support this program provides is what allowed me to finally invest in my own future in West Virginia.”