If you work full-time in Florida as a first responder, educator, healthcare worker, veteran, or in another eligible field, there’s a housing program you need to know about — and you need to know about it before it opens.
The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program is anticipated to return, offering down payment and closing cost assistance to Florida’s workforce. Funds are limited. The borrowers who benefit are the ones who are pre-qualified and ready before the program opens — not the ones who start the process after.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What is the Florida Hometown Heroes program?
The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program is administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. It’s designed to help Florida’s full-time workforce become homeowners by providing down payment and closing cost assistance.
The program is available statewide across Florida and is compatible with multiple loan types — making it accessible to a wide range of eligible buyers.
Who is eligible?
To qualify for the Florida Hometown Heroes program, borrowers must meet the following criteria:
- Employed full-time by a Florida-based employer in an eligible field
- Eligible occupations include first responders, law enforcement, firefighters, educators, healthcare workers, active military, veterans, government employees, and other eligible Florida workforce categories
- Must be a first-time homebuyer or a qualifying veteran
- Must purchase and occupy the property as a primary residence
- Income limits apply and vary by county
- Purchase price limits apply and vary by county
- Homebuyer education is required
What does the assistance look like?
The program provides down payment and closing cost assistance structured as follows:
- Up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount in assistance
- Maximum assistance of $35,000
- 0% interest rate on the assistance
- Deferred second mortgage — no monthly payment required
- Repaid when the borrower sells, refinances, or no longer occupies the home as a primary residence
This means the assistance costs you nothing out of pocket month to month. It simply reduces the amount you need to bring to closing — which for many buyers is the single biggest barrier to homeownership.
What loan types does it work with?
The Florida Hometown Heroes program is compatible with:
- FHA loans
- VA loans
- USDA Rural Development loans
- Fannie Mae HFA Preferred (Conventional)
- Freddie Mac HFA Advantage (Conventional)
Whether you’re using a VA loan as a veteran, an FHA loan as a first-time buyer, or a Conventional loan — this program is designed to layer on top of your primary financing.
Why getting pre-qualified before the program opens matters?
This is the part most buyers get wrong.
When Hometown Heroes funds open, demand is immediate. Buyers who are already pre-qualified can move the moment the program is available. Buyers who haven’t started the process are behind from day one — and in a limited-fund program, being behind means missing out.
Getting pre-qualified now does not commit you to anything. It means you know your numbers, you know your eligibility, and when the program opens you are ready to act.
The cost of waiting is potentially losing access to up to $35,000 in assistance. The cost of starting now is a conversation.
How to get started
If you think you may be eligible for the Florida Hometown Heroes program, the next step is connecting with a Supreme Lending loan officer who can walk you through your options and get your pre-qualification in place before funds open.
We’ll look at your income, purchase goals, and eligibility — and make sure you’re positioned to move the moment the program becomes available.
Connect with a Supreme loan officer today.
Disclaimers
Subject to credit approval. Not all borrowers will qualify. Program guidelines and funding availability subject to change. Contact a Supreme Lending loan officer for current program details.