Florida Down Payment Assistance Programs: What New-Home Buyers Can Use in 2026
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Florida's state housing agency, Florida Housing Finance Corporation, offers four kinds of down payment help: FL Assist (up to $10,000), the FL HLP second mortgage ($12,500), HFA PLUS (a forgivable 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan), and Hometown Heroes (up to 5% of the loan, as much as $35,000, for eligible workers). All of them must be paired with a Florida Housing first mortgage. Your county may also run its own help through the state's SHIP program.
Who qualifies for Florida down payment assistance?
Florida Housing's homebuyer page lists the basic rules. You need:
A minimum credit score of 640.
To work with an approved, participating lender.
To finish an approved homebuyer education course.
A purchase price and income below the limits for your county.
To be a first-time homebuyer by the IRS definition. That means you have not owned and lived in your main home in the last three years.
One more rule surprises people. Florida Housing says its down payment help is not available "stand-alone." It only works with Florida Housing's own first mortgage. So you cannot take FL Assist and pair it with any loan you like.
What down payment programs does Florida Housing offer?
Here is each program, in plain words, from Florida Housing's own pages (checked Oct. 6, 2026):
Program | How much | What kind of help | When you pay it back |
|---|---|---|---|
FL Assist | Up to $10,000 | 0% interest, no monthly payment | When you sell, transfer, refinance, pay off the first mortgage, or stop living in the home. Not forgiven. |
FL HLP Second Mortgage | $12,500 | 3% interest, 30-year loan with a monthly payment | Monthly, like any loan. The rest is due if you sell, transfer, refinance, pay off the first mortgage, or stop living in the home. |
HFA Preferred / HFA Advantage PLUS | 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan | Forgivable second mortgage | Forgiven 20% a year over 5 years, when used with Florida Housing's conventional HFA Preferred or HFA Advantage loans |
Hometown Heroes | Up to 5% of the first mortgage ($10,000 minimum, $35,000 maximum) | 0% interest, no monthly payment, 30-year deferred | When you sell, refinance, transfer the deed, or stop living in the home. Not forgiven. |
A few things to know:
You get one. Florida Housing's program term sheet says its down payment programs cannot be combined with each other.
FL HLP has a payment. Florida Housing notes that payment may count in your debt-to-income ratio. Its guide lists the payment as $52.70 a month. Learn how lenders count debts in our debt-to-income ratio guide.
Ask which PLUS amounts are open. The program page lists 3%, 4% and 5%. Your lender can tell you which ones are being offered today.
Who can use Hometown Heroes?
Hometown Heroes is the biggest of the four. But it is only for certain buyers. Under Florida Housing's 2026 rules, you must be one of these:
A full-time employee of a Florida-based employer who works as a health care worker, school staff member, first responder, public safety or court employee, or child care worker.
A servicemember, including the reserves, the Coast Guard, or the Florida National Guard.
A veteran who works full time for a Florida-based employer.
Hometown Heroes has its own income limits. Here are the 2026 limits for counties where National House Search lists new homes, from Florida Housing's 2026 Hometown Heroes limits sheet (effective for reservations as of May 6, 2026, for FHA, VA and HFA Advantage loans):
County | 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit |
|---|---|
Miami-Dade | $204,300 |
Palm Beach | $192,750 |
Broward | $190,200 |
Martin | $153,600 |
St. Lucie | $153,600 |
Indian River | $153,450 |
Okeechobee | $148,050 |
Hendry | $148,050 |
The other programs use Florida Housing's standard county limits. Ask a participating lender for the current numbers in your county.
For the full new-construction details, read Hometown Heroes on new construction in Florida.
What about help from your county or city?
Florida also funds local help. Through the SHIP program, Florida Housing sends money to all 67 counties and 55 cities, with at least $350,000 per county. Local governments decide how to use it. Allowed uses include down payment and closing cost help, and new construction.
Each county runs its own program, with its own rules and open dates. Florida Housing keeps a list of local SHIP contacts.
Here is one example. Palm Beach County's Housing and Economic Development office lists purchase help of up to $100,000 for income-eligible first-time buyers, including for new construction. The county says all of its programs are "subject to funding availability." Its HOME first-time buyer portal shows as closed. Call before you count on it.
Ask your county office whether its help can be used together with a Florida Housing loan.
Does Florida Housing run out of money?
Florida Housing says no for its main programs. Its homebuyer guide states: "Florida Housing never runs out of funds so your transaction will not be subject to a 'waiting list.'"
Local SHIP programs are different. They often open and close as money comes in. That is why you should call your county early.
What this means for new-construction buyers in Florida
Down payment help and a home that is still being built need careful timing.
Hometown Heroes needs a finished home before you lock. Florida Housing's 2026 Hometown Heroes lender guide says a Certificate of Occupancy must be issued before the loan can be reserved or locked. It also says new-construction reservations cancel at 90 days.
The other programs move fast, too. Florida Housing's term sheet gives 60 days from reservation to loan purchase. Extensions cost extra. It warns that reserving a new-construction loan too soon can lead to a rate change.
Check the builder's lender. Your lender has to be on Florida Housing's approved list. If the builder's incentives are tied to its own lender, ask whether that lender offers Florida Housing loans.
Watch the total help. Builder credits have limits that depend on your loan type. On an FHA loan, for example, help from the builder or seller toward costs is capped at 6% of the price. Read our guide to FHA loans on new construction in Florida.
Keep your credit steady. You need at least a 640 score for Florida Housing. Do not open new accounts during the build. See what credit score you need to buy a house.
Builder incentives change every month. Call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers in the communities you like.
Common Questions
How much down payment help can I get in Florida?
Florida Housing offers up to \$10,000 through FL Assist, \$12,500 through the FL HLP second mortgage, 3% to 5% of the loan through HFA PLUS, or up to 5% of the loan (as much as \$35,000) through Hometown Heroes for eligible workers. You can use one of these on a loan.
Do I have to pay back Florida down payment assistance?
It depends on the program. FL Assist and Hometown Heroes are 0% loans that are not forgiven; you repay them when you sell, refinance, transfer the home, or stop living in it. FL HLP has a monthly payment. HFA PLUS is forgiven 20% a year over 5 years.
What credit score do I need for Florida down payment assistance?
Florida Housing requires a minimum credit score of 640. You also need to finish an approved homebuyer education course and meet county income and price limits.
Can I use Florida down payment assistance on a new construction home?
Yes, but timing matters. For Hometown Heroes, the home must have a Certificate of Occupancy before your loan can be reserved or locked. Florida Housing's other programs give 60 days from reservation to loan purchase.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer?
Yes, for Florida Housing's programs. You must meet the IRS definition, which means you have not owned and lived in your main home in the last three years.
Can I combine FL Assist and Hometown Heroes?
No. Florida Housing says its down payment assistance programs cannot be combined with another Florida Housing down payment program. Your county's SHIP office can tell you if its own help can be added.
Ready to take the next step?
Call 561-704-0091 to talk with a National House Search specialist, or Schedule a visit.
Related reading: Hometown Heroes on New Construction in Florida · FHA Loans on New Construction in Florida · Florida Homestead Exemption on New Construction
This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Figures checked October 6, 2026.