Does Section 184 work on Agua Caliente Indian land in Palm Springs?

Yes. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe. Section 184 can be used by eligible tribal members to finance homes on Agua Caliente trust land in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, and other Coachella Valley cities.

What is the down payment for a Section 184 loan?

Section 184 requires 1.25% down for loans under $50,000 and 2.25% down for loans over $50,000. There is no monthly PMI — only a 1.5% upfront guarantee fee and 0.25% annual fee.

What is the Section 184 loan limit in Riverside County?

For 2026, the Section 184 loan limit in Riverside County follows FHA limits at $644,000. Most Palm Springs and Coachella Valley properties fall within this limit.

Section 184 Indian Home Loan California 2026

The Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee is a HUD-backed mortgage program that allows Native American borrowers to finance homes on Indian land — including Agua Caliente tribal land in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley — with just 1.5% down and no private mortgage insurance.

What Is the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee?

Created by Congress in 1992, the Section 184 program is administered by HUD’s Office of Native American Programs (ONAP). It was specifically designed to solve a problem that had long blocked Native American homeownership: most conventional lenders wouldn’t touch properties on tribal trust land because standard lien rights don’t apply the same way as on fee-simple land.

Section 184 solves this by having HUD guarantee the loan — giving lenders the security they need to finance homes on Indian land. The result is a mortgage program with genuinely borrower-friendly terms that works on land where most banks still say no.

Section 184 Loan Terms at a Glance

Feature	Section 184 Terms
Down Payment	1.25% (loans under $50K) / 2.25% (loans over $50K)
Mortgage Insurance	1.5% upfront guarantee fee; 0.25% annual — NO monthly PMI
Credit Score	No minimum set by program (lender discretion, typically 580+)
Loan Limits	Follows FHA limits by county — Riverside County: $644,000 (2026)
Property Types	1–4 unit, condo, manufactured home on permanent foundation
Eligible Land	Indian trust land, allotted land, fee simple, and restricted land
Occupancy	Primary residence only

Does Section 184 Work on Palm Springs Indian Land?

Yes — and this is one of the most important things to know if you’re buying in the Coachella Valley. A large portion of Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert sits on land held in trust by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. This is reservation land — which means buyers are purchasing the home (or leasehold interest) but not the ground beneath it.

The Agua Caliente Band’s reservation covers approximately 31,500 acres across the Coachella Valley, including significant portions of downtown Palm Springs and Section 14. Most conventional lenders won’t finance these properties. Section 184 is specifically built for exactly this scenario.

Who Qualifies for a Section 184 Loan?

To use the Section 184 program, you must be an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, or the spouse or dependent of an enrolled member. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe, so members and eligible family members can use Section 184 to purchase or refinance on Agua Caliente land.

The property must be your primary residence. Investment properties and second homes do not qualify for Section 184.

Section 184 vs. Conventional Leased Land Financing

If you’re buying on Agua Caliente Indian land but are not a tribal member, Section 184 is not available to you. However, there are still lenders — including DiVita Home Finance — who specialize in conventional financing for non-tribal buyers purchasing homes on leased Indian land in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and the surrounding Coachella Valley cities.

The key factors for conventional leased land financing are:

Lease term remaining (typically need 10+ years beyond loan maturity)
Tribal approval for sublease or assignment
Annual Land Surface Assessment (ALSA) payments current
Lender approval of the specific lease terms

Cities with Agua Caliente Indian Land

The Agua Caliente Band’s reservation spans multiple Coachella Valley cities. We help buyers finance homes on Indian land throughout the valley:

Palm Springs Indian Land Mortgage — largest concentration of leased land properties
Cathedral City Indian Land Mortgage
Rancho Mirage Indian Land Mortgage
Palm Desert Indian Land Mortgage
Desert Hot Springs Indian Land Mortgage
Indian Wells Indian Land Mortgage

Frequently Asked Questions — Section 184 California

Can a non-Native American use Section 184?
No. Section 184 is only available to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes and their eligible family members. Non-Native buyers purchasing on Indian land need conventional leased land financing instead.

Is Section 184 available for refinancing?
Yes. Section 184 can be used for purchase loans, rate/term refinances, and cash-out refinances on eligible properties.

Does Section 184 have income limits?
No income limits — unlike USDA or some first-time buyer programs, Section 184 has no maximum household income requirement.

What’s the loan limit in Riverside County for 2026?
Section 184 uses FHA loan limits. For Riverside County in 2026, the limit is $644,000. Palm Springs and most Coachella Valley properties fall within this limit.

Talk to a Palm Springs Indian Land Mortgage Specialist

Michael DiVita has 20+ years of experience financing homes on Agua Caliente Indian land throughout the Coachella Valley — for both tribal members using Section 184 and non-tribal buyers using conventional leased land programs. If you’ve been turned down by a bank or told financing isn’t possible on Indian land, call us before you give up.

Section 184 Indian Home Loan California | HUD Guaranteed Mortgage