What is the Florida Hometown Heroes program?
Hometown Heroes was created by the Legislature in 2023 as section 420.5096 of the Florida Statutes and is run by Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing), the state's housing finance agency. It helps buyers in essential local jobs buy a home in the community where they work.
What you get
According to Florida Housing's program page, eligible borrowers receive:
- A 30-year fixed first mortgage through a participating lender, as FHA, VA, USDA Rural Development or conventional, at competitive rates with reduced upfront fees and no origination or discount points.
- Down payment and closing cost help of up to 5% of the first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000.
- Additional benefits for people who have served or are serving in the military.
How the assistance is structured
The help is a second mortgage at 0% interest, non-amortizing, with a 30-year term. You make no monthly payment on it. It becomes due in full when you sell, refinance the first mortgage, transfer the deed, or stop living in the home as your primary residence. Florida Housing states plainly that the Hometown Heroes loan is not forgivable.
Who qualifies as a Hometown Hero in Florida?
For the 2026 program, Florida Housing limits eligibility to the following, and only one borrower on the loan needs to qualify through their job:
Eligible workers
- Full-time employees of a Florida-based employer working as a health care worker, school staff member, first responder, public safety or court employee, or child care worker.
- Service members of the US military or military reserves, the US Coast Guard or its reserves, or the Florida National Guard.
- Veterans employed full-time by a Florida-based employer.
Florida Housing's eligible employer list gives examples: nurses including RNs, LPNs, nurse practitioners and nursing assistants; medical technicians such as lab, pharmacy, X-ray and surgical technicians; and therapists such as physical, occupational, respiratory and speech therapists, employed full time by a Florida-based health care provider, hospital, assisted living or mental health facility. The list says the examples are not exhaustive, so check with a participating lender if your job is not named.
Other requirements in the statute
Section 420.5096 requires that the borrower buy a primary residence, be a Florida resident, be employed full time by a Florida-based employer and be a first-time homebuyer. The first-time buyer rule does not apply to active duty service members or veterans. Household income may not exceed 150% of the state or local median income, whichever is greater.
Florida Housing's program requirements
Florida Housing's homebuyer programs require a minimum credit score of 640, approved homebuyer education, a participating lender, and a purchase price and income below the county limits.
What disqualifies you from being a first-time homebuyer?
Florida Housing uses the IRS definition: you cannot have owned and occupied your primary residence in the three years before the purchase. Owning a home you lived in within that window disqualifies you, but owning one more than three years ago does not. Veterans and active duty service members are exempt from the first-time rule for Hometown Heroes.
2026 Hometown Heroes income and loan limits by county
Florida Housing publishes limits for each of Florida's 67 counties, effective for loans reserved from May 6, 2026. The income limit applies to the FHA, VA and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loans; USDA loans have a lower limit, $119,850 in most counties. Loan limits cap the first mortgage: $832,750 for HFA Advantage and VA loans in every county except Monroe ($990,150), and FHA limits that vary by county.
| County | Income limit (FHA, VA, HFA Advantage) | FHA loan limit |
|---|---|---|
| Alachua | $156,000 | $541,287 |
| Broward | $190,200 | $667,000 |
| Collier | $181,500 | $764,750 |
| Duval | $163,050 | $580,750 |
| Hillsborough | $172,050 | $541,287 |
| Lake | $172,350 | $541,287 |
| Lee | $168,600 | $541,287 |
| Miami-Dade | $204,300 | $667,000 |
| Monroe | $214,950 | $990,150 |
| Orange | $172,350 | $541,287 |
| Palm Beach | $192,750 | $667,000 |
| Pinellas | $172,050 | $541,287 |
| Polk | $148,050 | $541,287 |
| Sarasota | $171,150 | $547,400 |
| St. Johns | $163,050 | $580,750 |
| Volusia | $148,650 | $541,287 |
The lowest income limit, $148,050, applies in many rural and some urban counties including Polk, Marion and Escambia. Check the full table for your county, because limits are set by where the home is, not where you work.
Worked examples: how much assistance you get and what you repay
A $320,000 first mortgage
5% × $320,000 = $16,000. That falls between the $10,000 minimum and the $35,000 cap, so you receive $16,000. Florida Housing reported that the average first mortgage in the 2025 round was about $320,000 and the average assistance about $16,000.
A small loan hits the minimum
On a $150,000 mortgage, 5% is $7,500, below the minimum, so the assistance is $10,000.
A large loan hits the cap
On a $750,000 mortgage, 5% is $37,500, above the cap, so the assistance is $35,000.
What you owe when you sell
Because the loan charges no interest and requires no payments, the balance stays the same. If you took $16,000 and sell after eight years, you repay $16,000 at closing from the sale proceeds. If you refinance your first mortgage, the $16,000 is due then too. Unlike a forgivable grant, nothing is written off over time.
What it does to your monthly budget
Nothing directly, since the second mortgage has no payment. It lowers the cash you need at closing. Compare that with Florida Housing's FL HLP second mortgage: $12,500 at 3% over 30 years works out to about $52.70 a month, which lenders may count in your debt-to-income ratio.
Hometown Heroes compared with Florida Housing's other assistance
Florida Housing's down payment programs are only available with its own first mortgage loans, not as stand-alone help.
| Program | Amount | Terms | Repayment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hometown Heroes | 5% of the first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000 | 0%, no payments, 30-year deferred | Due in full on sale, refinance, transfer or move-out; not forgivable |
| FL Assist | Up to $10,000 | 0%, deferred | Due on sale, transfer, refinance or move-out; not forgivable |
| FL HLP second mortgage | $12,500 | 3%, 30-year, monthly payment | Remaining balance due on sale, refinance or move-out |
| HFA Preferred / Advantage PLUS | 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan | Forgivable second mortgage | Forgiven at 20% a year over 5 years; conventional loans only |
If you qualify for Hometown Heroes and need more than $10,000, it usually offers the largest amount. If you plan to stay at least five years and want the help written off, ask a lender to compare the forgivable HFA option on a conventional loan. The first-time homebuyer guide covers how assistance affects your total budget.
Is Hometown Heroes still available in 2026?
The program exists in law and Florida Housing's page describes the 2026 program, with income limits effective for reservations from May 6, 2026. What changes is the money: each year's round depends on the Legislature's appropriation and runs until it is committed.
How fast past rounds ran out
Florida Housing reported that the 2025 round opened on August 18, 2025 with $50 million and committed all of it within six months, helping more than 3,000 buyers. Since the first round in 2022-2023, it says the program has delivered more than $386 million in down payment help to nearly 25,000 buyers.
How to check today
Florida Housing had not published a 2026-27 funding total in a press release that we could find as of September 2026. Ask a participating lender whether Hometown Heroes funds are available for reservation on the day you want to lock, and have a backup plan such as FL Assist. The assistance is reserved through your lender, not by applying to the state yourself.
Watch for scams
Florida Housing warns that there is no cost to apply for Hometown Heroes and that scammers target buyers by charging upfront fees. Report anyone who asks for a fee to its Inspector General's office.
How to apply for Hometown Heroes
1. Find a participating lender
Use Florida Housing's lender and real estate agent locator. You apply through the lender, not directly with the state.
2. Confirm eligibility with your employer details
Bring proof of full-time employment with a Florida-based employer in an eligible job, or military or veteran documentation.
3. Complete homebuyer education
An approved course is required before closing, so start it early.
4. Shop within the county limits
Your income and the loan amount must fall within the limits for the county where the home is. Manufactured homes built after July 13, 1994 and permanently affixed to land can qualify under section 420.5096. The home buying guide and the city guides can help you match areas to your budget.
5. Plan for repayment
Because the second mortgage is due when you sell or refinance, factor it into any future move. The seller net proceeds calculator estimates what a sale leaves you; subtract the Hometown Heroes balance from that figure.
Common questions
Is the Hometown Heroes program still available in Florida?+
The program is in Florida law and Florida Housing describes a 2026 program with income limits effective for reservations from May 6, 2026. Funding comes in yearly rounds that run out: the 2025 round's $50 million was committed within six months. Ask a participating lender whether funds are available when you are ready to lock your loan.
Who qualifies as a hometown hero in Florida?+
For 2026, full-time employees of Florida-based employers working as health care workers, school staff, first responders, public safety or court employees, or child care workers; US military, reserve, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members; and veterans employed full time by a Florida employer. You must also meet the county income limit, a 640 credit score and first-time buyer rules.
What disqualifies you from first time home buyer?+
Florida Housing uses the IRS definition: you are not a first-time buyer if you owned and occupied a primary residence at any point in the three years before the purchase. Owning a home earlier than that, or owning property you never lived in, does not by itself disqualify you. Veterans and active duty service members are exempt from this rule for Hometown Heroes.
What is the $35,000 down payment assistance program in Florida?+
It is the Florida Hometown Heroes program. It provides 5% of the first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000, as a 0% deferred second mortgage. You reach the $35,000 cap with a first mortgage of $700,000 or more. The loan is repaid in full when you sell, refinance or move out.
Do I have to repay the Hometown Heroes loan?+
Yes. Florida Housing says the loan is not forgivable. It carries no interest and no monthly payments, but the full amount becomes due when you sell, refinance your first mortgage, transfer the deed, or stop living in the home as your primary residence. The 30-year term matches the first mortgage.
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit?+
It depends on the county. For 2026, the limit for FHA, VA and HFA Advantage loans runs from $148,050 in many counties to $214,950 in Monroe. Examples: Hillsborough $172,050, Orange $172,350, Duval $163,050, Miami-Dade $204,300 and Palm Beach $192,750. USDA loans have a lower limit, $119,850 in most counties.
Sources
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation: Hometown Heroes program
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation: 2026 Hometown Heroes income and loan limits (effective with reservations from May 6, 2026)
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation: Hometown Heroes eligible employers list (July 2026)
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation: Homebuyer overview
- Florida Housing Finance Corporation: Florida Hometown Heroes Program 2025 press release (February 27, 2026)
- Florida Statutes: section 420.5096, Florida Hometown Hero Program