The 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program is a state-run housing initiative designed to help essential full-time workers in specific occupations—along with active-duty military members and veterans—purchase a home in the Florida communities they serve.

Qualified applicants can receive up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance through a 0% interest, non-amortizing second mortgage with no monthly payments.

This second mortgage is repaid only when the home is sold, refinanced, or the first mortgage is paid off.

The program also offers competitive first mortgage interest rates and is only available through approved participating lenders authorized by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

Unlike previous years, the 2025 program is limited to a narrow list of eligible occupations, and only $50 million in total assistance funds have been allocated.

Funds cannot be reserved until:

1. You are pre-approved for a loan

2. You are under contract on a home

3. And the program has officially launched

📌 Funds will not be available on July 1, 2025. The program will launch only after the Governor approves the state budget and Florida Housing finalizes program guidance and eligible job classifications.

Because funds are extremely limited, it’s critical to get qualified early and be ready when the program opens.

To qualify for the 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program, applicants must meet all of the following:

✅ Eligible Occupation

You must be employed full-time (35+ hours/week) by a Florida-based employer in one of the following roles:

• Healthcare worker

• School staff member

• First responder

• Public safety employee

• Court employee

• Childcare worker

• Active-duty military or military reserves

• U.S. Coast Guard or Coast Guard reserves

• Florida National Guard

• Veteran employed full-time by a Florida-based employer

🛑 If your job does not fall under one of these categories, you will not be eligible, even if you met program criteria in previous years.

💰 County Income Limits

Your total household income must be at or below your county’s income limit, based on household size.This requirement applies to all applicants, including servicemembers and veterans.

✅ Loan Qualification

You must qualify for a first mortgage loan (FHA, VA, or Conventional) and meet minimum standards:

• Minimum 640 credit score

• Maximum 50% debt-to-income ratio

📅 Important Timing Note

Funds will not be available on July 1, 2025 as in past years. The program will launch only after:

• The Governor approves the state budget

• Florida Housing finalizes the official list of eligible occupations

• Lenders receive updated program guidelines and training

Hometown Heroes Assistance Facts:

The down payment assistance provided through the Florida Hometown Heroes Program is a 0% interest, 30-year deferred second mortgage. There is no monthly payment required during the life of the loan.

The original principle balance of this assistance loan must be repaid in full when any of the following occurs:

1. The home is sold.

2. The first mortgage is refinanced.

3. The borrower moves to another property.

4. The loan reaches maturity.

At no time is this loan forgiven.

💰 Down Payment Assistance Amount

The assistance is based on 5% of the total new loan amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000.

Yes. The down payment assistance provided through the Florida Hometown Heroes Program is not a grant and is not forgivable.

The assistance is structured as a 0% interest, deferred second mortgage. There are no monthly payments, but the full amount must be repaid in one lump sum when:

1. You sell the home.

2. You refinance your first mortgage.

3. You move out of the property.

4. The 30-year term of the second mortgage ends

Even if you live in the home for the full 30 years, the loan must still be repaid when the term is complete.

The Florida Hometown Heroes Program can be used with the following primary loan types:

• FHA (Federal Housing Administration)

• VA (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

• Conventional (Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac)

• USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development)

The program is only available for primary residence purchases and cannot be used for second homes or investment properties. You must meet all guidelines for your selected loan type, including credit score, income, and debt-to-income (DTI) ratio requirements.

👉 Assistance must be paired with a first mortgage originated by a participating lender approved by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

If you're unsure which loan type fits your situation best, we can help you explore your options.

Yes. To qualify for the Florida Hometown Heroes Program, you must meet both credit and income requirements.

Minimum Credit Score:

A minimum FICO score of 640 is required for all loan types. A minimum FICO score of 660 is required for manufactured and mobile housing.

Income Limits:

Your total household income must be at or below the maximum income limit for your county, based on household size. These limits vary across Florida and are updated annually by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

To check your local income limit, visit the 📊 Income Limits page.

In most cases, the Florida Hometown Heroes Program is only available to first-time homebuyers. This means you must not have owned a home in the past three years. However, there are two important exceptions:

1. Veterans and active-duty service members are exempt from the first-time homebuyer requirement and can use the program even if they’ve owned a home recently.

2. Some buyers may qualify again after a three-year waiting period from the date they last owned a home.

If you’re not sure whether you meet the first-time buyer definition, our team can help you review your eligibility and explore your options.

There’s no hidden catch, but there are a few important guidelines to understand before using the Florida Hometown Heroes Program:

• The assistance is not a grant. It is a 0% interest, deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment, that must be repaid in full when you sell, refinance, move out, or reach the end of the 30-year term.

• You must meet all loan program requirements, including a minimum 640 credit score, a debt-to-income ratio of 50% or less, and county-specific income limits.

• The program is available only through participating lenders approved by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

• New for 2025: The program is now limited to a much narrower list of occupations, including only full-time Florida-based employees in healthcare, education, emergency response, childcare, courts, public safety, and military service.

Only $50 million in assistance funds are available statewide, and they cannot be reserved until you’re both pre-approved and under contract.

• 💡 Unlike most assistance programs, Hometown Heroes features higher income limits in every Florida county, making it one of the few programs that still works with today’s home prices in the Sunshine State. 🌴

You don’t apply directly through Florida Housing. Instead, you must work with a participating lender who is approved to offer the Florida Hometown Heroes Program.

Here’s how to get started: 

1. Complete a pre-approval with a participating lender

This confirms your eligibility and loan options based on credit, income, and other program guidelines.

2. Get under contract on a home

The Florida Hometown Heroes assistance can only be reserved after you're pre-approved and under contract on a primary residence.

3. Reserve your assistance

Once you're under contract, your lender will submit the required documentation to reserve your funds through Florida Housing.

4. Close on your loan

The down payment assistance will be applied at closing as a 0% interest, deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment. 

🕐 IMPORTANT: Funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Starting the process early is the best way to secure your assistance before the program runs out.

🎖️ The 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program proudly includes active-duty military, Guard/reserve members, Coast Guard, and veterans—but the rules have changed this year, so it’s important to understand the new structure.

Here’s how it works:

✅ No first-time homebuyer requirement

Veterans and active-duty military do not need to be first-time buyers. Even if you’ve owned a home recently, you may still qualify.

⚠️ Employment requirement varies

• Active-duty servicemembers, Guard/reserve, and Coast Guard are automatically eligible, regardless of civilian employment.

• Veterans, however, must now be employed full-time by a Florida-based employer to qualify.

💳 Standard loan guidelines apply

You must still meet the program’s financial requirements, including:

• Minimum 640 credit score

• Debt-to-income ratio of 50% or less

• County-specific income limits

🏡 Works with VA loans

The program pairs seamlessly with VA loans, allowing eligible military buyers to finance up to 100% of the purchase price with no PMI. The Hometown Heroes assistance covering the closing costs.

🎖️ We’re proud to help Veterans and active-duty servicemembers access this powerful benefit and achieve homeownership in the state of Florida.