WAILUKU - The county's first-time homebuyer's down payment assistance program is no longer accepting new applications because of overwhelming response in the first week.

The program received 320 applications within seven days after being launched Nov. 1, according to a county news release. The county has budgeted $180,000 to fund the program, which provides grants to qualified first-time homebuyers to help with down payments or closing costs.

County Council Member Mike Molina, who proposed the program in 2005, said he was "excited" by the response.

"It justifies the need and interest for the program, and I look forward to working with the administration and the public to continue the program," he said.

"The immense response we received illustrates the need for this kind of grant assistance," said Mayor Charmaine Tavares. "In light of today's economic conditions, it's important to do what we can to help new homebuyers."

It's been a bumpy road for the popular new program.

This year the council cut the amount of money set aside for first-time homebuyer assistance from $1.6 million, as part of its efforts to reduce spending in the face of dwindling revenues.

And in 2008, Molina and other council members expressed frustration that the county administration had not yet implemented the program years after it had been approved. The issue was a major reason for the council's icy relationship with then-Director of the Department of Housing and Human Concerns Vanessa Medeiros, who later resigned.

Evergreen Home Loans received the contract to administer the first-time homebuyer's program.

For more information, call the department's Housing Division at 270-7351, or e-mail housing.hhc@mauicounty.gov.