The newly revised Florida Hometown Heroes housing mortgage is making homeownership easier for first-time buyers, and now even more Florida residents are included.
Governor DeSantis announced the rollout of the Hometown Heroes Program, which helps in-state workers purchase their first home. The big change as of a few years ago is the program now includes ALL qualified working residents, not just frontline workers.
The program removes many barriers by allowing income-eligible borrowers to secure zero-interest loans to pay for their down payment and closing costs. The HTH program has been funded with $50 million for the last fiscal year.
Florida’s median house price is nearly $373,000 today, that’s an increase over 40% in just 6 years ago. Despite the rapid increase in home prices, household income has remained nearly the same. This has proved to be challenging for many first-time buyers when they set off to purchase their first home.
Most conventional and government-backed mortgage programs today require a minimum 3.5%-5% down payment, PLUS an additional 3-5% on average for closing costs and pre-paid escrows. The initial down payment and move-in costs are often the primary obstacles that restrict many first-time homeowners.
With the Florida Hometown Hero program offered by JP First, approved buyers can receive 5% of their total loan amount (not to exceed $35,000) in assistance. For a standard $350,000 home price, that’s $17,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance. Note, that there will also be a minimum draw amount of $10,000 for buyers purchasing a home less than $200,000.
Now let’s take a detailed look at all the eligibility and qualifying requirements for the Hometown Hero Program. Please note, that Hometown Heroes funds are limited each year by the state. Due to the popularity of the program, we are processing requests 7 days a week. Home buyers who have questions about the application process are encouraged to reach out to us by submitting the Info Request Form below.
Please Note: If you are a homebuyer that does not meet the HTH eligibility requirements below, or located in another state, please contact us to learn about other 100% down payment assistance programs available. Many other 100% financing options are available without occupation and income restrictions, or the first-time buyer requirement.
Florida Hometown Heroes Household Income Limits For 2026
The household must earn LESS than 150% of the area’s median income. The Florida Hometown Heroes gross income caps limits start at $142,950 and go up to $195,450 in high-cost locations like Monroe County.
Listed below are the most recent income limits for the most popular cities in Florida. The current income caps should remain the same for most of 2026.
Miami: Miami-Dade County = $185,850
West Palm Beach: Palm Beach County = $175,650
Fort Lauderdale: Broward County = $172,950
Pensacola: Escambia County= $147,150
Tallahassee: Leon County = $142,950
Orlando: Orange, Osceola, and Seminole County = $158,100
Jacksonville: Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau County = $153,750
Gainesville: Alachua County = $156,000
Ocala: Marion County = $142,950
Daytona Beach: Volusia County = $142,950
Fort Myers-Cape Coral: Lee County = $153,300
Tampa: Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco County = $156,450
Manatee County: $161,400
Sarasota: Sarasota County = $161,400
Naples: Collier County = $170,400
Key West / Key Largo: Monroe County = $195,450
