Florida Hometown Heroes Program 2026: Get Up to $35,000 Toward Your Home Purchase

A Homebuying Program Created to Give Back to Florida's Everyday Heroes

If you dedicate your career to serving your community, the Florida Hometown Heroes Program was designed with you in mind.

Whether you're a nurse, firefighter, police officer, teacher, military member, childcare worker, court employee, or another eligible public service professional, this program may provide up to $35,000 to help make homeownership more affordable.

If saving for a down payment has been the biggest obstacle standing between you and buying a home, this program could help turn your dream into reality.

What Is the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?

The Florida Hometown Heroes Program provides eligible first-time homebuyers with financial assistance for:

• ✅ Down Payment
• ✅ Closing Costs
• ✅ Prepaid Expenses

Qualified borrowers may receive up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount, with a maximum assistance amount of $35,000. The assistance is provided as a 0% interest deferred second mortgage, and no monthly payment is required while you own and occupy the home as your primary residence. Repayment may become due if the home is sold, refinanced, transferred, or is no longer owner-occupied.

Program Highlights

✔ Up to $35,000 toward your home purchase

✔ Helps cover both down payment and closing costs

✔ 0% interest deferred second mortgage

✔ No monthly payment on the second mortgage

✔ Available for eligible first-time homebuyers

✔ Can significantly reduce your out-of-pocket costs at closing

Who May Qualify?

To qualify, borrowers generally must:

• Be a first-time homebuyer
• Meet applicable household income limits
• Purchase an eligible Florida primary residence
• Work full-time
• Be employed by a Florida-based employer if required for their occupation category
• Meet Florida Housing program guidelines

Only one borrower on the loan needs to meet the eligible employment requirement.

Eligible Occupations

Many Florida professionals may qualify, including:

Healthcare Professionals

• Registered Nurses (RN)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physicians
• Physician Assistants
• Dentists
• Pharmacists
• Physical Therapists
• Respiratory Therapists
• Mental Health Professionals
• Medical Assistants
• Laboratory Technicians
• Radiology Technicians
• CNAs
• And many more healthcare positions employed by qualifying Florida healthcare facilities.

School Employees

Employees working full-time at Florida:

• Public Schools
• Private Schools
• Charter Schools
• Magnet Schools

Examples include:

• Teachers
• Principals
• Guidance Counselors
• Librarians
• Teacher Aides
• Cafeteria Staff
• School Psychologists
• Maintenance Staff

Florida Virtual School teachers may also qualify if paid directly by Florida Virtual School.

First Responders

• Firefighters
• EMTs
• Paramedics

Must work full-time for a qualifying Florida fire department, ambulance service, or hospital.

Public Safety

Including:

• Police Officers
• Sheriff's Deputies
• Correctional Officers
• Juvenile Detention Officers
• 911 Dispatchers

Employment must be with a qualifying Florida local, county, state, or federal agency.

Court Employees

Including employees of:

• County Courts
• Circuit Courts
• State Courts
• Public Defender Offices
• State Attorney Offices
• Court Administration

Private law firms are not eligible.

Childcare Workers

Employees working full-time at qualifying Florida licensed childcare facilities, Head Start, VPK, Gold Seal, or School Readiness programs may qualify.

Military & Veterans

Eligible applicants include:

• Active Duty Military
• Reserve Members
• Florida National Guard
• Veterans employed full-time by a Florida-based employer who meet the program requirements.

Important Employment Requirements

One of the most important eligibility requirements is where you work.

Florida Housing requires borrowers to:

• Work full-time
• Work at the employer's physical Florida location
• Be employed directly by the qualifying employer

Remote employees are not eligible, although hybrid employees may qualify if they regularly work at the employer's Florida location.

Example

Imagine you're purchasing a $400,000 home.

Depending on your mortgage amount and program eligibility, you could receive up to $35,000 to help cover:

• Down Payment
• Closing Costs

That could dramatically reduce the cash needed to purchase your home.

Why Work With Edwin Baptista?

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, and every dollar counts.

With more than 18 years of mortgage experience, I help Florida homebuyers navigate available loan programs and determine whether they qualify for assistance programs like Florida Hometown Heroes.

I'll guide you through:

• Reviewing your eligibility
• Exploring financing options
• Calculating your estimated payment
• Determining available assistance
• Making the homebuying process as smooth as possible

Let's Find Out If You Qualify

If you're thinking about buying your first home in Florida and work in one of the eligible professions, now is an excellent time to explore your options.

The Florida Hometown Heroes Program has helped many buyers reduce their upfront costs—and it may be able to help you too.

Contact Edwin Baptista today for a free consultation.

Licensed in Florida & California
NMLS #678489
Coast Capital Mortgage
A Division of Private Money Bancorp Inc.
Company NMLS #1734144