Florida Hometown Heroes Program
Down payment and closing cost help for the people who keep Florida working.
If you work full-time in an eligible Florida occupation, the Hometown Heroes program may help you buy your first home with down payment and closing cost assistance. It was created for the people who keep Florida running: teachers, nurses, first responders, law enforcement, childcare workers, military members and veterans, and other eligible workers employed full-time by a Florida-based employer. We will check your eligibility and current fund availability at no cost.
What Is the Hometown Heroes Program?
The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program is a state program administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. It provides eligible buyers with assistance toward their down payment and closing costs, delivered as a second mortgage with no interest and no monthly payment. The assistance is paired with an eligible first mortgage, such as an FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional loan, originated through a participating lender.
Program terms as of July 2026
Confirmed at FloridaHousing.org. Subject to change and to funding availability.
- Assistance amount: a second mortgage of 5% of the first mortgage loan amount, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000.
- Structure: 0% interest, 30-year deferred second mortgage, no monthly payments. Not forgivable: repaid in full on sale, deed transfer, refinance or satisfaction of the first mortgage, or when the borrower stops using the home as a primary residence.
- Allowed uses: down payment and reasonable, customary closing costs only. Funds cannot be used for realtor commission, paying off debt, or appraisal gaps.
- Occupancy and purpose: primary residence in Florida, occupied within 60 days of closing. Purchases only, no refinances.
- Income limits: apply by county, set by Florida Housing.
How the Assistance Works
- The assistance is a 30-year deferred second mortgage on your home with a 0% interest rate and no monthly payment
- It is not forgiven, it is deferred. You repay it in full when you sell the home, transfer the deed, refinance or satisfy the first mortgage, or stop living in the home as your primary residence.
- It can be applied to your down payment, to reasonable and customary closing costs, or both. It cannot be used for realtor commission, to pay off debt, or to cover an appraisal gap.
Who May Be Eligible?
Every situation is different, and for the 2026-27 funding cycle eligibility is occupation-based again. Buyers may qualify when:
- At least one borrower works full-time for a Florida-based eligible employer with a brick-and-mortar Florida location, reporting in person or hybrid. Fully remote workers are not eligible.
- The employer falls in an eligible category: healthcare (hospitals, healthcare providers, assisted living, mental health), K-12 schools (public, private, charter, magnet), fire departments and ambulance services, law enforcement, correctional and juvenile facilities, emergency operations centers, courts, State Attorney and Public Defender offices, or licensed childcare facilities. Active-duty military, veterans, reservists, and Florida National Guard members are also eligible.
- All borrowers are first-time homebuyers, meaning no ownership interest in a principal residence in the prior 3 years. Exceptions: active-duty, veteran, reservist, and National Guard borrowers (DD214 or LES required) and purchases in Federally Designated Targeted Areas.
- Income is at or below the program’s limit for the county where you are buying (limits set by Florida Housing).
- The buyer meets the credit and qualification standards of the first mortgage program.
- At least one qualifying borrower completes an approved homebuyer education course (NIS or HUD-aligned); military and veteran borrowers on FHA, VA, or USDA loans are exempt.
- The home will be a primary residence in Florida, occupied within 60 days of closing. Purchases only, no refinances.
The fastest way to know is to let us check. It costs nothing, and if Hometown Heroes is not a fit we can show you other down payment assistance options if eligible.
How The Loan Process Works
Check If You Are Eligible
Tell us what you are looking for, your occupation, and share some basic financial details.
Get Pre-Approved
We help you get pre-approved so you know your budget and can shop with confidence.
We Handle Underwriting
Once you are under contract, we submit your file and guide it through underwriting.
Close With Confidence
We coordinate the appraisal, title, and closing so you can move into your new home.
Funds Are Limited
Hometown Heroes is funded by the state in limited amounts, and funds can be claimed quickly once released. If funding is currently unavailable, we can put you on our notification list and prepare your file so you are ready the moment the next round opens.
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