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New ‘Hometown Heroes’ housing program will give first responders, teachers, and military help to buy their first home

Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the June 1 launch of the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program to help Floridians in over 50 critical professions purchase their first home.  The Hometown Heroes Housing Program will be available to Floridians including law enforcement officers, firefighters, educators, healthcare professionals, childcare employees, and active military or veterans.  Including this $100 million program, […]

Yesterday, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the June 1 launch of the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program to help Floridians in over 50 critical professions purchase their first home. 

  • The Hometown Heroes Housing Program will be available to Floridians including law enforcement officers, firefighters, educators, healthcare professionals, childcare employees, and active military or veterans. 

Including this $100 million program, the Governor also announced his intent to support the total of nearly $363 million appropriated for affordable and workforce housing in the 2022-2023 budget, the highest total in 15 years.

  • The program is administered by the Florida Housing and Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) and has the highest and most inclusive eligibility of all Florida Housing down payment assistance programs. 

The program is geared to expanding on Florida’s existing housing programs to reach critical workers and those who have served our country. Find more about the program here.

“In Florida, we value the contributions of our police, firefighters, teachers, and nurses,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Our hometown heroes are the backbone of Florida communities and making sure that they can afford to be homeowners is a great way to give back to them and support the future of the American Dream.”

Florida Housing received $100 million from the state Legislature this year to establish and administer the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program. This program will aid essential community workers in 50 different eligible professions with down payment and closing cost assistance to help first-time, income-qualified homebuyers purchase a primary residence in the communities they serve. 

Funds will be available to reserve starting June 1, which coincides with National Homeownership Month. This occasion celebrates the value that owning a home brings to families, communities, and neighborhoods across America.

To qualify for this program, homebuyers must connect with a participating loan officer, have a minimum credit score of 640, provide certification for one of the eligible occupations, and meet the income threshold for their county. 

  • Eligible borrowers will receive up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount (up to a maximum of $25,000) in down payment and closing cost assistance in the form of a 0%, non-amortizing, 30-year deferred second mortgage. 
  • For more information, please visit www.floridahousing.org/hometownheroes.

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Community Comments

“Thanks Jared for a concise factual article. Too much false narratives floating around social media.”
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“Thee is no such a thing as affordable housing for over half the people that live in this area. People can’t afford 300, 400 or 500k for a house. Build...”
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“That portion has been closed because of wild hogs destroying it, I believe”
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“Got make up for the 10 mill purchase of the SS United States and getting fined 1k a day while it still sits in port”
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“Follow the $. It's highly probable the developers have a military connection. And "affordable housing" is a sad case of smoke and mirrors.”
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“Why not give the actual location of the new school, but from the little you gave on that point, I'm "assuming" that it will, like just about nearly every school...”
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“Is HCA Twin Cities able to provide cardiac care?”
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“It is amazing on one hand Walton county will purchase 2,000 acres for a state park and claim it is all about the enviroment amd protecting the Florida Black Bear...”
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“Here goes all our natural Woods & Wild Life . Next thing you know they'll be building Businesses. And Gas Stations . And Big Houses .”
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“It would be nice to know where it will be located. What about designs and will it have primitive camping or a combination of RV sites. What, no artist rendition?...”
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