Is Hometown Heroes only for first-time buyers?

No. Unlike Florida Assist and most Florida Housing DPA products, Hometown Heroes has no first-time homebuyer requirement. Previous homeowners can use the program as long as the home is their primary residence and they meet the other eligibility rules.

What is the income limit for Hometown Heroes?

Income limits are set by county and household size, generally up to 150% of Area Median Income (AMI). In higher-cost counties like Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward, and Collier, the dollar limits are higher than rural counties. Confirm your county's current cap with a Florida Housing–approved lender before assuming you're in or out.

What credit score do I need for Hometown Heroes?

640 minimum FICO across FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional first mortgages under the program. The score used is the middle score of the primary borrower. Some Florida Housing lenders may consider 620 on FHA, but options narrow significantly below 640.

Which professions qualify for Hometown Heroes in 2026?

All full-time W-2 employees of a Florida-based employer qualify — the program was expanded in 2023 to remove the occupation-list restriction. That includes teachers, nurses, police, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, healthcare professionals, child welfare workers, active military, veterans, and most other full-time Florida workers. Self-employed and part-time workers generally do not qualify.

Do I have to work in the county where I'm buying?

No. You must work for a Florida-based employer, but you can purchase a primary residence anywhere in Florida that's within the county's purchase price cap. Many buyers work in one county and purchase in an adjacent one for affordability.

Who Qualifies for the Hometown Heroes Program in Florida (2026 Checklist)

Q: Who qualifies for the Hometown Heroes program in Florida?

Full-time employees of a Florida-based employer in one of 100+ eligible community workforce occupations — including teachers, nurses, law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, healthcare workers, child welfare workers, active-duty military, and veterans. You must also meet a 640 minimum FICO, county income limits (typically up to 150% AMI), and county purchase price caps.

Quick facts

Must be full-time at a Florida-based employer in an eligible occupation
Minimum 640 FICO across all loan types
Income within county-specific limits (typically up to 150% AMI)
Purchase price within Florida Housing county price caps
Primary residence only — no investment or vacation homes
No first-time homebuyer requirement — prior owners can qualify

The 2026 Hometown Heroes eligibility checklist

You qualify for Florida Hometown Heroes if you can check every box below. Miss one and the program is closed to you — but a Florida Housing–approved lender can often steer you to a different DPA product that fits.

Employment: Full-time (≥35 hrs/week) at a Florida-based employer
Credit: 640+ middle FICO on the primary borrower
Income: Within your county's Hometown Heroes income limit (typically up to 150% AMI)
Purchase price: At or below your county's Florida Housing price cap
Occupancy: Primary residence only — owner-occupied within 60 days
Loan type: FHA, VA, USDA, or HFA conventional through a Florida Housing–approved lender
Education: Complete a HUD-approved homebuyer education course before closing

Eligible professions (2026)

The 2023 program expansion removed the prior list-based occupation rule. Today, any full-time W-2 employee of a Florida-based employer can qualify on the occupation side. The historic "hero" categories still drive most usage:

Education

Public and private K-12 teachers and instructional staff
School counselors, librarians, media specialists
School administrators and district staff
Faculty and staff at accredited Florida colleges and universities
Pre-K and early childhood education professionals

Healthcare

Registered nurses (RN), licensed practical nurses (LPN), nurse practitioners (ARNP)
Certified nursing assistants (CNA), patient care techs, medical assistants
Physicians (MD/DO), physician assistants (PA), dentists, pharmacists
Physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists
EMTs, paramedics, and emergency room staff
Mental health counselors, licensed clinical social workers

Public safety

Police officers and deputy sheriffs
State-certified firefighters
Correctional and juvenile correctional officers
Probation officers
911 dispatchers and emergency telecommunicators

Military and veterans

Active duty military (any branch) stationed in Florida
Florida National Guard and Reserve members
Veterans with honorable or general discharge (DD-214)
Surviving spouses of qualifying service members

Community services

Child welfare workers — DCF employees and community-based care providers
Social workers at Florida-licensed agencies
Other full-time W-2 Florida workforce (post-2023 expansion)

Income limits — how to read them

Hometown Heroes income limits are set at up to 150% of Area Median Income (AMI) for the county where you're buying. The exact dollar figure depends on household size and is published by Florida Housing Finance Corporation each year.

Two practical rules:

All borrower incomes count. If you're buying with a spouse or co-borrower, both incomes go toward the limit — even if only one of you works in a "hero" profession.
Gross, not net. Income is calculated from your gross W-2 wages, not your take-home pay.

For exact 2026 numbers, see our income and price limits by county guide.

Purchase price caps

The home must be at or below the Florida Housing purchase price limit for your county. These caps mirror the FHA loan limit in most counties and are higher in expensive metros (Miami-Dade, Monroe, Collier, Broward, Palm Beach) than in rural counties.

If you're shopping at the top of your county's cap, get pre-approved before you make an offer — going $5,000 over the cap eliminates the program for that house.

Credit score requirements

640 minimum across FHA, VA, USDA, and HFA conventional
Middle score of the primary borrower is used
Manual underwriting is rare — most files run through automated underwriting
Below 640: explore other programs first. See our 620 credit score guide for non–Hometown Heroes paths.

What disqualifies you

Part-time or 1099 contract work as your primary employment
Employer is not based in Florida (remote workers paid by out-of-state companies often fail here)
Income above the county cap
Purchase price above the county cap
Investment property, second home, or short-term rental purchase
FICO under 640 across the board
Recent bankruptcy or foreclosure outside the waiting period of your first mortgage type

How to apply — step by step

Pull your credit and confirm your middle score is 640+
Gather employment proof: two months of pay stubs, last two W-2s, and an employer letter confirming full-time status and Florida-based employer
Find a Florida Housing–approved lender — the program is unavailable through any other channel
Get pre-approved with the Hometown Heroes overlay applied — confirm income and price limits for your county
Complete homebuyer education (8-hour HUD-approved course; many are online)
Shop within the price cap for your county and write an offer with your pre-approval letter
Close — the DPA second mortgage is recorded at closing alongside your first mortgage

Next steps

If you can check every box on the checklist above, Hometown Heroes is one of the highest-leverage programs in Florida. Take the free 60-second quiz to confirm fit and get pointed to an approved lender in your county.

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