Florida Down Payment Assistance 2026: Florida Housing, Hometown Heroes & County Programs

Florida draws hundreds of thousands of new residents every year, and a large share of them are renting while they wonder whether ownership is realistic. In most of the state it is — Florida runs one of the better-funded down payment assistance systems in the country, and it has expanded sharply in recent years.

This guide walks through every major Florida down payment assistance program available in 2026, who qualifies, and how the pieces combine with an FHA, VA, or conventional loan.

Florida Housing — The State Agency

Almost all statewide help runs through the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, usually just called Florida Housing. You do not get assistance on its own — it is attached to a Florida Housing first mortgage, which is a 30-year fixed loan available as FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional.

On top of that first mortgage, you choose a second-mortgage assistance option:

• Florida Assist — a deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment; it is repaid only when you sell, refinance, or pay off the home
• Florida Homeownership Loan Program (FL HLP) — a second mortgage with a small fixed monthly payment, used when a slightly different structure helps you qualify

The Hometown Heroes Program

Florida's standout program is Hometown Heroes Housing. It began as help for frontline workers and now reaches a much wider group — full-time workers employed by a Florida-based employer can qualify, not only teachers, nurses, and first responders.

Salute Our Soldiers

Veterans and active-duty military buying in Florida have a dedicated track — the Salute Our Soldiers program — which offers a competitive first mortgage and pairs with the same down payment assistance options. For an eligible veteran, combining this with a VA loan removes the down payment almost entirely.

Income Limits and Other Rules

Florida Housing programs use county income limits and purchase-price limits, and they are updated regularly. Florida's lack of a state income tax does not change these housing-program limits — they are based on Area Median Income.

County and City Programs

Florida's larger counties run their own assistance using federal SHIP and HOME funds — Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, Orange, Duval, and many others. These local programs vary widely and sometimes layer on top of Florida Housing assistance. Hurricane-related and workforce-housing programs also appear in specific counties, so the local picture is worth checking before you choose a neighborhood.

Putting It Together

Because Hometown Heroes funding can pause without warning, and because county programs each have their own rules, timing and sequencing matter a great deal in Florida. The buyers who get the most assistance are the ones who line up education, pre-approval, and program reservations before they start touring homes.