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Down Payment Assistance in Florida: Programs, Limits and How to Apply

In Florida, Florida Housing Finance Corporation offers FL Assist (up to $10,000), the FL HLP second mortgage ($12,500) and a forgivable 3%, 4% or 5% HFA Plus second mortgage. Florida Housing says its down payment assistance is not available as stand-alone help, so you use it with a Florida Housing first mortgage from a participating lender. Local governments run the separate SHIP programs.

Facts read from the agency pages on October 15, 2026. Programs, limits and funding change, so confirm with the agency and a participating lender before you rely on a figure.

Who runs down payment assistance in Florida?

Florida Housing Finance Corporation

Which Florida programs offer down payment help?

FL Assist

Administered by Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

What it offers: Up to $10,000 on FHA, VA, USDA and conventional loans.
Repayment: A 0% non-amortizing deferred second mortgage. It is not forgivable. It becomes due in full on sale, transfer, refinance or payoff of the first mortgage, or when you stop occupying the home.
Works with: A Florida Housing first mortgage (FHA, VA, USDA or conventional) from a participating lender.
Who qualifies: A minimum credit score of 640, approved homebuyer education, and the IRS definition of a first-time buyer (not having owned and occupied your primary residence in the prior three years). Income and purchase price must be below the limits for your county.
Availability: No page we read states a closure or out-of-funds notice for this program.

FL HLP Second Mortgage

Administered by Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

What it offers: $12,500.
Repayment: A 3% fully amortizing second mortgage with a 30-year term and a monthly payment. The payment may count toward your debt-to-income ratio at underwriting. It becomes due on the same triggers as FL Assist, including when you stop living in the home as your primary residence.
Works with: A Florida Housing first mortgage from a participating lender. The page does not say which first mortgage types it pairs with.
Who qualifies: Same credit, education, first-time buyer and county limit rules as FL Assist.
Availability: No page we read states a closure or out-of-funds notice for this program.

3%, 4% or 5% HFA Preferred and HFA Advantage PLUS Second Mortgage

Administered by Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

What it offers: 3%, 4% or 5% of the total loan amount as a second mortgage.
Repayment: Forgiven at 20% a year over its 5-year term.
Works with: Conventional first mortgages only (HFA Preferred or HFA Advantage).
Who qualifies: Same credit, education, first-time buyer and county limit rules as FL Assist.
Availability: No page we read states a closure or out-of-funds notice for this program.

Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program

Administered by Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

What it offers: Up to 5% of the total first mortgage loan amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000.
Repayment: A 0% non-amortizing 30-year deferred second mortgage. It is not forgivable and is due on sale, refinance, transfer of the deed, or when the home is no longer your primary residence.
Works with: FHA, VA, USDA Rural Development and conventional first mortgages. Florida Housing says these carry market-rate interest with reduced upfront fees and no origination or discount points.
Who qualifies: Full-time employment by a Florida-based employer in a listed occupation, such as health care worker, school staff member, first responder, child care worker, court or public safety employee, servicemember or veteran, buying a primary residence in the community where you work and serve. The target is first-time, income-qualified buyers. There is no cost to apply.
Availability: A Florida Housing press release says the program committed all available funding for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year. We found no notice that funding reopened. Ask a participating lender whether funds are available before you plan around it.

State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP)

Administered by Local governments, funded through Florida Housing.

What it offers: Local governments may use SHIP funds for down payment, mortgage and closing cost assistance. Amounts and terms are set locally.
Repayment: Set by your city or county.
Works with: Set by your city or county.
Who qualifies: Income targets are percentages of area median income: at least 30% of funds go to very-low-income households (up to 50%), 30% to low-income households (up to 80%), and the remainder up to 140%.
Availability: Each local program sets its own availability. Use the local government lookup on Florida Housing's SHIP page.

What are the income and price limits in Florida?

Each limit below is the range the agency published, as of the date shown.

Limit	Range	In effect	Source
Income and purchase price limits, FL Assist, FL HLP and HFA Plus	Florida Housing says income and price must be below the limits for the county where you buy. The program page lists no amounts, so ask a participating lender for your county's current limits.	Not dated on the program page	Florida Housing homebuyer programs
Household income limits, SHIP (80% of area median income, one to ten persons)	$43,850 to $169,667, set by county and household size. The 120% and 140% tiers are higher. The table is shared with another program.	Effective 5/1/2026	Florida Housing SHIP and HHRP income limits (PDF)
Hometown Heroes income and loan limits	Florida Housing publishes a 2026 limits table by county. We could not read its dollar values, so use the agency's table.	Table dated 5/06/2026 and 6.30.26 in different places	Florida Housing Hometown Heroes 2026 limits (PDF)

How do I apply for down payment assistance in Florida?

Use Florida Housing's Lender and Real Estate Agent Locator to find a Florida Housing-approved lender and get pre-approved.
Complete approved homebuyer education. Florida Housing requires it for its homebuyer programs.
Ask the lender which assistance option you qualify for, and whether funds are available. Florida Housing says there is no cost to apply for Hometown Heroes down payment assistance.
For SHIP, choose your city (or county, if your city is not listed) from the lookup on Florida Housing's local government page and contact that office.

Can I combine Florida assistance with gift funds or employer help?

Gift funds

The Florida Housing pages we read do not address gift funds. Ask your participating lender how a gift from family is documented for your loan.

Employer help

The Florida Housing pages we read do not address employer assistance. Hometown Heroes is tied to your own employment, but it is Florida Housing's program rather than your employer's. Ask your lender before you rely on any employer benefit.

Other assistance

Florida Housing says its down payment assistance is not available as stand-alone assistance, so it pairs with a Florida Housing first mortgage. Whether FL Assist, FL HLP, HFA Plus and Hometown Heroes can be combined with one another is not stated on the pages we read. Florida Housing no longer offers Mortgage Credit Certificates and says it has not issued any since 12/31/2020.

Gift rules also depend on your loan type. See what cash to close includes for how down payment and closing costs add up, and the down payment assistance guide for how gifts, employer help and assistance can fit together.

Which sources does this page rely on?

Every figure above comes from the agency pages below.

Source	Date
Florida Housing homebuyer programs	No page date shown, read October 15, 2026
Florida Housing Hometown Heroes program	No page date shown, read October 15, 2026
Florida Housing Hometown Heroes funding press release	Listed February 2026, read October 15, 2026
Florida Housing SHIP program	No page date shown, read October 15, 2026
Florida Housing Mortgage Credit Certificate FAQs	No page date shown, read October 15, 2026

Frequently asked questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Florida?

FL Assist offers up to $10,000, FL HLP offers $12,500, and the HFA Plus second mortgage is 3%, 4% or 5% of the total loan amount. Hometown Heroes is up to 5% of the first mortgage, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000, for eligible occupations.

Which Florida programs do I have to repay?

FL Assist and Hometown Heroes are deferred second mortgages that are not forgivable and are due on sale, refinance, transfer or when the home stops being your primary residence. FL HLP has a monthly payment. The HFA Plus second mortgage is forgiven at 20% a year over five years.

What credit score and education does Florida require?

Florida Housing lists a minimum credit score of 640 for its homebuyer programs and requires approved homebuyer education. The Hometown Heroes program page does not state either.

Is Florida Hometown Heroes open?

A Florida Housing press release says the program committed all available funding for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year. We did not find a notice that funding reopened, so ask a participating lender about current availability.

Can I get Florida down payment help without a Florida Housing mortgage?

Not through Florida Housing's homebuyer programs, which are not available as stand-alone assistance. Local SHIP programs are separate and run by your city or county.

Down payment assistance in other states

Back to the down payment assistance guide.

See which down payment programs you may qualify for

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Disclosure: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, mortgage, or tax advice. Program rules vary by lender, location and loan. Dreamfund is not affiliated with any housing agency named here. Consult a licensed mortgage professional for guidance specific to your situation. Dream Fund AI LLC does not guarantee any savings outcome, loan approval, or home purchase result.