🏡 The Florida Hometown Heroes Loan Program: Are You Eligible?

If you have been waiting for the perfect moment to buy your piece of the Sunshine State, the countdown has officially begun.

The massively popular Florida Hometown Heroes Loan Program, which hooks eligible full-time workers and veterans up with up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance.

It is tentatively scheduled to launch its next wave of funding on June 13th, 2026! 

(Note: This date is tentative and subject to change by the state, but I need you to be ready now!)

Here is the catch and why you cannot afford to wait: 

When this program goes live, it’s a first-come, first-served feeding frenzy. Last time, the state's multi-million dollar fund vanished in a few months. Once these funds hit zero, the gates slam shut. We will be left completely in the dark, waiting for an unknown future date for the state to inject more cash into the program.

If you aren't ready the second that funding drops, you could possibly miss out.

The Golden Rule of Hometown Heroes: You MUST have a fully executed purchase contract in hand to reserve your funds. You cannot just lock in the money because you want it; you have to be ready to put in an offer on a home immediately.

And you can't put in a winning offer without being pre-approved first.

What you need to do RIGHT NOW:

1. Determine Your Eligibility: Are you a healthcare worker, teacher, law enforcement officer, firefighter, military member, veteran, or full-time worker for a Florida-based company?  

   
   

2. Get Pre-Approved Immediately: Do not wait until June 13th to send over your paperwork. Let’s get your pre-approved this week so you can confidently shop for homes, find the one you love, and be ready to claim your piece of the pie the second the program goes live.

My latest blog post about HTH is below:

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🏡 The Florida Hometown Heroes Loan Program: Are You Eligible?

Are you a Florida-based frontline worker or veteran looking to buy a home? The Florida Hometown Heroes Loan Program, a Florida Housing Finance Corporation initiative, provides down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers. To qualify, you must be employed full-time by a Florida-based employer and work in an eligible occupation. Active-duty military members are exempt from the Florida-based employer and occupation requirements.

Here is a breakdown of the eligible occupations:

Healthcare Workers ⚕️

This category includes individuals employed full-time by a Florida-based healthcare provider, hospital, assisted living facility, or mental health facility:

• Nursing: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwife, Nursing Assistant (CNA), Nursing Technician, Registered Nurse (RN), and Clinical Nurse Specialist

• Medical Technicians: Anesthesia Support Technician, Cardiology Technician, Computed Tomography (CT) Technician, Emergency Room (ER) Technician, Laboratory Technician (including Phlebotomist), Nuclear Medicine Technician, Orthopedic (Ortho) Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Radiation Technician, Sonographer, Surgical Technicians, and X-ray Technician

• Therapists: Audiology, Occupational, Physical, Respiratory, and Speech Therapists

• Mental Health Workers: Behavioral Health Specialist/Technician/Therapist, Mental Health Specialist/Technician/Therapist, Case Manager, Psychiatrist, Psychologist, and Social Worker

• Doctors, Physicians, & Pharmacists: Anesthesiologist, Anesthesiologist Assistant, Dentist, Nuclear Pharmacist, Pharmacist, Physician, and Physician Assistant

• Other Healthcare Workers: Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienist, Medical Assistant (CMA or MA), Patient Care Assistant, Patient Transporter (Orderly), and Phlebotomist

School Staff Members 🏫

Eligible applicants must work full-time for a Florida-based K-12 public, private, charter, or magnet school. This includes a variety of roles:

• Assistant Principal

• Classroom Teacher

• Career Specialist (Guidance Counselor)

• Food Service / Cafeteria Staff

• Librarian/Media Specialist

• Maintenance / Janitorial Staff

• Principal

• School Counselor

• School Psychologist

• Social Worker

• Teacher Aide

First Responders & Public Safety Workers 👮‍♀️🚒

First responders and public safety workers must be employed full-time by a Florida-based fire department, ambulance service, hospital, or a local, county, state, or federal law enforcement department, juvenile detention facility, or correctional facility:

• First Responders: Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Certified Paramedic, and Firefighter

• Public Safety Workers: 911 Public Safety Communicator (Operator or Dispatcher), Correctional Officer, Correctional Probation Officer, Juvenile Detention Officer, Juvenile Probation Officer, and Sworn Law Enforcement Officer (Local, State, or Federal)

Court Employees ⚖️

This category is for those employed full-time by a Florida-based county, state, or federal court, court administrator's office, State Attorney's Office, or Public Defender's Office:

• Assistant State Attorney

• Assistant Public Defender

• Attorney (if employed by a qualifying Florida court)

• Court Clerk

• Court Stenographer (Court Reporter) (if employed by a qualifying Florida court)

Childcare Workers 🧑‍🍼

Eligible childcare workers are those employed full-time by a Florida-based licensed childcare facility or a licensed or registered home daycare

Military & Veterans 🎖️

• Active-Duty Military: All active-duty or reserve service members of all branches of the United States Armed Forces, including the Florida National Guard

• Veterans: Veterans employed full-time with a Florida-based employer who have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Veterans are not required to work in a specific occupation but must be employed full-time

The following property types are ineligible for all Florida Hometown Heroes loans:

• Co-ops

• Single-wide manufactured homes

• Leasehold properties

• Construction-to-permanent loans

• Any property located outside the state of Florida

The following loan characteristics are ineligible for all Florida Hometown Heroes loans:

• Refinance transactions

• Escrow waiver

• Escrow holdbacks

• High-cost loan

• Land trusts

• Mortgage assumptions

• Mortgage credit certificates

• Closing a loan held in an LLC

• Non-borrowing individuals (NBI)

• Non-occupying co-borrowers

First-Time Homebuyer:

A first-time homebuyer is defined as an individual who has had no ownership interest in a principal residence at any point during the three-year period prior to the Note date. Ownership interest may include being on a mortgage note or holding title to a primary residence, even if the borrower was not on the mortgage loan.

ALL borrowers are required to be first-time homebuyers. The only exceptions to the first-time homebuyer requirement are:

Active-Duty/Veteran/Reservist/National Guard Borrowers

Borrowers purchasing in a Federally Designated Targeted Area

Active-duty military, Reserve, and National Guard members must provide a copy of a current LES to utilize this exemption.

Veteran borrowers must provide their DD214 to utilize this exemption. Any discharge status other than dishonorable is acceptable. A Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is NOT acceptable in lieu of a DD214.

Homebuyer Education:

Homebuyer education is required to be completed by at least one (1) borrower who meets the Hometown Hero Income and Employment requirements. Education must be issued through the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NIS), or it must align with a HUD Counseling Program.

Cash-Back to the Borrower:

Any potential cash back to the borrower should be reimbursed, up to $2,000, as a principal reduction. This amount is capped at the combined total of the borrower’s EMD and the POC costs.

Cash back to the borrower cannot exceed $300, unless one of the following exceptions can be met:

The EMD can be returned but must be applied as a principal reduction, not to exceed $2000.

Gift funds are eligible to be returned in full.

Paying off Debt:

Paying off debt at closing is NOT allowed.

If debt needs to be paid off in order to qualify or if the borrower wishes to pay off debt during the transaction for any reason, the following documentation is required:

• Proof that the debt has been paid in full, and the source of the funds used to pay off the debt.

Full-Time Employment:

At least one borrower, except active-duty military borrowers, must work full-time. Veteran, reservist, and National Guard borrowers are not exempt from this full-time requirement.

When determining if the borrower is a full-time employee, one of the following must be listed on the paystub or written verification of employment (WVOE) to confirm full-time status:

• The verbiage “full-time” when referring to the number of hours worked in a week by the borrower, or

• 40 or more hours worked per week.

  • If paystubs are being used, ALL paystubs must have 40 or more hours listed.

• A paystub or WVOE that states “salary” or an offer letter listing the borrower as full-time are not acceptable.

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Meet the Broker:

Freddy Kling, Simplicity Mortgage

Simplicity Mortgage is a one stop mortgage shop, where I make homeownership dreams come true. Our extensive portfolio and simplified loan process allows us to close loans quickly and successfully, while providing each client an exceptional customer experience.

I come from a family of entrepreneurs and have always understood the value of integrity, challenging work, and dedication. It is extremely important to me that clients and referral partners appreciate that I am available and responsive around the clock.

I have been a resident of Florida for over 50 years and graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor's degree, majoring in computer science and a minor in mathematics. Before the mortgage industry, I was a Senior Principal Program Manager for the world’s fourth largest software company.

Financing all of the State of Florida including Ormond Beach, Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, Deland, Deltona, Holly Hill, Oak Hill, and Edgewater!

Call me today to discuss your real estate goals!

386-401-9000