Cypress

As Cypress was lush grassland fed by numerous artesian wells, one can easily envision roving bands of Gabrielinos, the dominant tribe in the area, foraging for the abundant food found in the region. The shelters of these early inhabitants of Cypress and of the area were made in a conical shape of poles covered by thatched grass or fibers.

The only mission in Orange County was at San Juan Capistrano and influenced the lives of only a small percentage of the natives in the area. The dominant Native American group in Cypress was the Gabrielinos. However, the recent evidence indicates that other natives did make an intrusion, possibly out of a desire to share the abundant food the area possessed.

In 1965, while excavating for the Cypress Library, (now the Boys and Girls Club) a 400-year old skeleton of a Chumash tribe member was uncovered. Similar findings were made at about the same time in Buena Park and in Long Beach.

World War II brought many changes to Cypress, just as it did to most of Orange County. Even before the war began, the United States Naval Air Station was moved from Long Beach to Los Alamitos adjacent to Cypress. Only a short distance away, the Navy also built the Seal Beach Ammunition Depot on 5,000 acres of land.

On July 24, 1956, Cypress was incorporated and named Dairy City. In 1957, local residents voted to change the name of Dairy City to "Cypress". The name was taken from Cypress Elementary School, originally built in 1895, which took its name from the Cypress trees planted to protect the schoolhouse from the seasonal Santa Ana winds.  

The HELP I program provides loans to first-time homebuyers to help with the down payment, including a portion of non-recurring closing costs. To be eligible, the applicants’ income must not exceed 120% of the Orange County Area Median Income. The home must be a single-family, attached or detached residence, including townhouses and condominiums, within the City of Cypress. The applicant may not have owned a home in the past three (3) years, and must occupy the home as a principal residence.  The applicant cannot have liquid assets in excess of $50,000, and must provide a minimum down payment equal to at least 2.5% of the purchase price.

The Cypress Redevelopment Agency offers up to $25,000 to eligible applicants in the form of a deferred, 30-year loan. The loan is deferred for the first five (5) years at a 0% interest rate. At the beginning of the sixth (6) year the loan becomes fully amortized at 5% simple interest rate for the remaining 25 years. Immediate repayment is due upon sale, transfer of title, or certain refinances.

The WISH program is available in the city of Cypress.

For additional information and find out how to qualify, please contact Andres Morales at (949)306-9260. You may also email directly at ThankYou@AndresCanHelp.com.