KJ Keith Jones Sr Broker/Owner, Public Services Realty

Buyer Programs · Jacksonville · Updated August 2026

Florida Hometown Heroes — up to $35,000 toward your Jacksonville home.

If you teach, nurse, patrol, fight fires, drive ambulances, or hold any of 50+ public-service jobs in Florida, the state will help you with your down payment and closing costs. Here is exactly how it works in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, and Nassau — without the marketing fluff.

Call Keith · (904) 554-8560 How the program works

How the Hometown Heroes program actually works

The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program is run by Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC). It was launched in 2022, refunded and expanded by the Legislature in 2023, and continues to receive annual appropriations. For Jacksonville public-service workers, it is the single most useful state buyer program available right now.[1]

The mechanics are simple. You take a first mortgage — FHA, VA, USDA, or a Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional — through a Florida Housing-approved lender. On top of that, FHFC gives you assistance equal to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount — minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000 — as a 0%-interest, non-amortizing, deferred 30-year second mortgage.[2] You can use it for down payment, closing costs, or both. No monthly payments and no interest; repayment comes due only when the home is sold, refinanced, transferred, or stops being your primary residence.[3]

Plain English: You do not make a monthly payment on the $35,000. No interest builds up. It just sits there as a lien on the property. When you sell the house, refinance the first mortgage, transfer title to someone else, or stop living there as your primary residence — that is when you have to pay it back. From your sale proceeds, in one shot.

That is the part most marketing pages bury. It is not a grant. It is real money you owe. But for a buyer who plans to live in the home for several years and builds equity, it is one of the cleanest ways to get into ownership with a small amount of cash out of pocket.

Who qualifies in 2026

Four buckets of rules. All four have to be true.

1. You work full-time in a qualifying occupation

Full-time means at least 35 hours per week with a Florida-based employer. Veterans are exempt from the full-time-work rule and can qualify even if not currently employed.[3]

2. You are a first-time homebuyer (with a veteran exception)

For most borrowers, you cannot have owned a primary residence in the past three years. If you owned a home four or more years ago, you are back in the first-time-buyer category for this program. Veterans are exempt — prior ownership does not disqualify you if you served.[3]

3. Your qualifying income is at or below the county limit

For Duval County, the 2026 limit is $163,050 in borrower income under the TBA program, effective with reservations as of May 6, 2026.[4] The program standard is household income at or below 150% of the county’s area median income.[3] The number is updated annually, so confirm the current figure with a participating lender before you write an offer.

4. The home will be your primary residence

Investment properties, second homes, and short-term rentals are out. You must occupy the home as your principal residence within 60 days of closing. If you move out, the program treats it as a triggering event and the second mortgage becomes due.

Other underwriting items that matter: 640 minimum middle credit score on most product combinations, debt-to-income ratios in line with the first mortgage program you choose (usually 45–50%), and a clean recent credit history.[3] Buyers must also complete a HUD-approved homebuyer education course before closing.

Eligible occupations — the categories that cover Jacksonville

FHFC publishes a detailed occupation list that runs to over 100 specific job titles across about a dozen categories. Here is the short version of who is covered locally, with the occupations that apply to most Jacksonville buyers:

  • Education: K–12 public, private, charter, or magnet school employees — teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, school nurses, school counselors, bus drivers. Includes Duval County Public Schools, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau districts plus charter networks like KIPP Jacksonville and Tiger Academy.
  • Healthcare: Physicians, registered nurses, LPNs, CNAs, paramedics, EMTs, mental health workers, dental hygienists, pharmacists, social workers, medical technologists — at hospitals (Baptist, UF Health, Mayo, St. Vincent's, Memorial), nursing homes, assisted living, ambulatory clinics, and behavioral health facilities.
  • Law enforcement & corrections: JSO, Sheriff's deputies in surrounding counties, Florida Highway Patrol, FDLE, federal officers, juvenile justice staff, jail and prison corrections officers, 911 dispatchers and EOC personnel.
  • Fire and EMS: Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighters, EMS personnel, fire marshals, and the surrounding-county fire districts.
  • Military: All active duty and reserve members of every U.S. armed forces branch, plus Florida National Guard. Big news for the NAS Jax, Mayport, Cecil Field-area, and Kings Bay communities.[6]
  • Childcare: Licensed childcare workers and directors.
  • Other public service: Many state and local government employees, social workers, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and several other roles.
The 2026 rule change to understand: the current program update emphasizes who your employer is rather than your job title. Qualifying employer categories include police and fire departments (including support roles like records and communications), healthcare facilities providing direct patient care, K–12 schools — public, private, charter, or magnet — and military/veterans. Examples that do not qualify: retail pharmacies, medical billing companies, higher-education institutions, and remote work arrangements.[2] Occupations highlighted for the July 2026 relaunch include teachers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, military members, veterans, childcare workers, correctional officers, and court employees.[6]

The FHFC list is the official source. If your job title is not obvious, an approved lender can pull the current eligibility checklist and run it for you in about a day.

2026 income and loan limits

Two separate ceilings apply: income (who qualifies) and purchase price / loan amount (what you can buy).

Income

For Duval County in 2026, the Hometown Heroes income limit is $163,050 in borrower income under the TBA program — and under the Bond program, $108,700 for a 1–2 person household or $125,005 for a 3+ person household — effective with reservations as of May 6, 2026.[4] A few things to know about those numbers:

  • The program standard is household income at or below 150% of the county’s area median income,[3] and the limit moves with HUD’s AMI updates — the current Duval figures took effect with reservations on May 6, 2026.[4]
  • The TBA figure applies to qualifying borrower income — generally the income that appears on the loan application — not full household income. A non-borrowing spouse's income usually does not count toward the limit, though it may affect other parts of the program. This is worth verifying with your lender.
  • If you are over the limit, you do not qualify for the down payment assistance. You can still use the first mortgage products if you stay under the loan-purchase price cap.

Purchase price and loan amount

The first mortgage must conform to one of these product limits in 2026:

  • FHA: $580,750 single-family in Duval County for 2026 — this is also the Hometown Heroes TBA FHA first-mortgage cap[4] — well above Florida’s baseline FHA limit of $541,287[7][8]
  • VA: follows conventional conforming limits — $832,750 for a single-family home in Florida in 2026 (no PMI, $0-down possible)[7]
  • USDA: Subject to USDA's standard income and eligibility maps — most of Jacksonville is not eligible, but pockets of rural Duval, Nassau, and Baker County are.
  • Freddie Mac HFA Advantage: conventional, subject to Florida’s 2026 single-family conforming loan limit of $832,750.[7]

How to apply through a Jacksonville lender

You cannot apply for Hometown Heroes directly with the state. The program runs through Florida Housing-approved lenders only. The process looks like this:

  1. Find a participating lender. FHFC maintains a list at FloridaHousing.org. Locally, several Jacksonville-based and regional lenders specialize in the program — including credit unions like VyStar and 121 Financial, plus major national lenders' Jacksonville branches such as Bank of America, Movement Mortgage, NFM Lending, and Coast2Coast Mortgage. Keith can refer you to two or three he has worked with who close on time and pick up the phone.
  2. Pre-qualify. The lender pulls credit, runs a debt-to-income, and confirms your occupation and income against the program's rules. Expect to provide pay stubs, two years of W-2s and tax returns, two months of bank statements, and proof of employment.
  3. Reserve funds. Hometown Heroes operates on a first-come, first-served basis with finite annual funding. When the lender locks your loan, they also reserve the assistance funds with FHFC. Reservations only happen when you have a fully-executed purchase contract. You cannot reserve funds in advance.
  4. Complete homebuyer education. A HUD-approved online course (eHome America is the most common; takes about six hours) is required before closing.
  5. Close. Standard close — 45 to 60 days is typical in Jacksonville for Hometown Heroes-funded files. The assistance shows up as a second-mortgage lien on the title and a credit toward your down payment / closing on the settlement statement.
Funding status — August 2026: The Florida Legislature allocated $50 million in new Hometown Heroes funding, and the program reopened for reservations on Monday, July 13, 2026 at 10:00 AM EST, first-come, first-served through participating lenders.[5] Florida Housing projects this round will last roughly 7–8 months — into early 2027 — but prior rounds have been exhausted much faster, and officials urge buyers to get pre-approved early. When funds are fully reserved, new applications pause until the next legislative appropriation or until recycled repayments from past recipients replenish the pool.[5] Confirm fund status with your lender the week you submit an offer.

Common myths about Hometown Heroes

"It's a grant — free money."

No. It is a deferred second mortgage. The principal is repaid in full when you sell, refinance, transfer title, or move out. There is no monthly payment and no interest accrues, which is genuinely a great deal, but the money is not given to you.

"My spouse and I both have to be in qualifying jobs."

No. Only one borrower needs to be in a qualifying occupation. A teacher married to a software developer is fine. The teacher is the qualifying borrower; the software developer's income still counts toward the income limit calculation if both are on the loan.

"I already own a home, so I'm out."

If you owned a primary residence in the last three years, yes — you are disqualified unless you are a veteran. If you owned a home four or more years ago and have been renting since, you are eligible.

"It only works with FHA loans."

The program supports FHA, VA, USDA, and the Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional product. For a veteran, pairing VA with Hometown Heroes is the strongest combination available — $0 down on the first mortgage plus closing-cost help from the state.

"I can use it on a duplex and live in one side."

The home has to be your primary residence. FHA and VA both allow owner-occupied 2-to-4-unit purchases. Florida Housing's product rules on multi-unit Hometown Heroes purchases are tighter than the underlying loan product, so confirm with your lender. In most cases, single-family or condo is the cleanest path.

Hometown Heroes vs VA, FHA, and USDA

These are not either/or in most cases — Hometown Heroes pairs with one of them. But the choice of first mortgage drives almost every other number on your closing disclosure.

ProgramDown paymentMortgage insuranceCredit minBest for
VA + Hometown Heroes$0None (funding fee instead)~620 typicalActive duty, veterans, qualifying spouses
FHA + Hometown Heroes3.5%Yes — MIP for life of loan in most cases580 (FHA) / 640 (HTH)First-time buyers with limited savings
USDA + Hometown Heroes$0Annual guarantee fee (~0.35%)640Rural Nassau, Baker, parts of west Duval
HFA Advantage + Hometown Heroes3%Reduced PMI; removable at 80% LTV660Higher credit, want to drop PMI later

For most public-service buyers in Jacksonville who are not military, FHA paired with Hometown Heroes is the workhorse. For veterans, VA paired with Hometown Heroes wins almost every time — see the deeper write-up on the VA Loan Jacksonville guide.

What to expect in a Jacksonville Hometown Heroes deal

From the time you call Keith to the day you get keys, plan on 75 to 90 days. Here is how that usually breaks down:

  • Week 1: Lender call, pre-approval, occupation verification, budget review. Keith pulls neighborhoods that fit your number — most often Westside, Northside, Mandarin pockets, Argyle, East Arlington, Cedar Hills, Oceanway, parts of Orange Park (Clay County), and Yulee (Nassau).
  • Week 2–4: Showings, offer, negotiated contract. Inspections, appraisal ordered.
  • Week 5–8: Underwriting on first mortgage and Hometown Heroes second. Homebuyer education completed. Insurance bound. Title work done.
  • Week 9–12: Clear to close, final walkthrough, close. Closing disclosure shows Hometown Heroes assistance as a credit.

The two places Hometown Heroes deals slow down in Jacksonville: (1) appraisal timing on older homes where FHA-required repairs (peeling paint, missing handrails, soft fascia) need re-inspection, and (2) the homebuyer education certificate — buyers wait until week 8 to start a 6-hour course they should have finished in week 2. Start early. See the FHA in NE Florida guide for the appraisal-repair playbook on older Jacksonville stock.

Duval County market snapshot — as of August 2026

Program buyers ask me the same fair question every week: is this a sane time to buy in Jacksonville? Here is what the data says, dated so you can hold me to it.

  • Prices are steady, not runaway. Duval County’s median single-family sale price was $350,000 as of June 2026 per NEFAR.[9] The broader six-county Northeast Florida median was $420,000 as of June 2026 (+2.4% for the month) — which tells you Duval remains the value play in the region.[11]
  • You have selection and a little leverage. As of June 2026, Duval carried 3,481 homes in inventory — about 3.5 months of supply — with a median 25 days on market and 988 closed sales for the month, per NEFAR.[9]
  • Duval is the affordability leader. Duval’s June 2026 median of $350,000 sits $70,000 under the six-county regional median of $420,000[9] — and NEFAR’s regional Home Affordability Index stood at 79 in June, which makes Duval’s discount the practical path to qualifying on a program buyer’s income.[11]
  • Rates are the budget-setter. The 30-year fixed averaged 6.66% for the week of July 30, 2026 (15-year: 6.04%), per Freddie Mac.[10] At those rates, a deferred 0% second covering your down payment is worth real money every month.
  • Why the assistance matters more than ever. Nationally, first-time buyers fell to a historic low of 21% of the market in NAR’s 2025 Profile, with the median first-time buyer age at an all-time high of 40 — and first-timers put down a median 10% while repeat buyers put down 23%.[12] That down-payment gap is precisely what Hometown Heroes closes for a public-service buyer.

Stacking with the City of Jacksonville’s H2H program

Hometown Heroes is a state program. The City of Jacksonville runs its own down payment assistance — Headstart to Homeownership (H2H) — and for lower-income buyers it can be the better lane, so it belongs in this conversation.

  • The City’s Housing Services page lists H2H down payment and closing-cost assistance of up to $25,000, for buyers whose total gross household income does not exceed 80% of the Duval County area median income as determined by HUD.[13] (Some local lender sites advertise higher 2026 caps — treat the City’s published figure as the baseline and verify the current cap directly with the City before you plan around it.)
  • H2H applicants cannot currently own a home, must occupy the purchase as their primary residence, and the home must pass a Section 8 Housing Quality Standards inspection before closing. Critically, you must not sign a sales contract before being approved — sequence matters.[13]
  • Expect a minimum $500 contribution from your own funds, an approved 8-hour homebuyer education course, and a property located in Duval County.[14]
  • The program is real and productive: over five years, H2H awarded assistance loans on 396 homes totaling $12.813 million, with most assistance going to Northwest and West side zip codes.[15]

The practical split: Hometown Heroes reaches up to 150% of area median income; H2H serves households at or below 80%.[13] Different lanes for different incomes — and because H2H requires approval before you go under contract, the order of operations is something we plan on day one, not discover in underwriting. Bring me your income picture and I will tell you which lane — or whether a Florida Housing option like the FL Assist $10,000 deferred second[16] — fits your file best.

Where Keith fits in

My job as your buyer's agent is not to originate the loan. That is the lender's job. My job is to (1) get you matched with a participating Hometown Heroes lender who actually closes these on time, (2) write your offer so the seller does not balk at a longer underwriting timeline, (3) negotiate inspection items that FHA or VA will flag before they become deal-killers, and (4) keep the file moving when one party goes quiet.

I've been doing this in Jacksonville for nearly thirty years. ABR-certified, MRP-certified, and the broker of Public Services Realty — a brokerage I built specifically around public-service buyers. I have watched the Hometown Heroes program go from "well-meaning but underfunded" to one of the most powerful tools a Florida public servant can use to buy a first home. The catch is that the funding pool refills on a rolling basis, and when the money runs out mid-year the program closes the lender pipeline until the legislature replenishes it. Most buyers find out about Hometown Heroes from a Facebook reel six months after the cycle has already restarted. That timing gap is where deals are lost. My job is to make sure you do not lose that timing gap.

Hometown Heroes FAQ

Is Florida Hometown Heroes a grant?

No. It is a 0%-interest, non-amortizing, deferred second mortgage. You do not make monthly payments on the assistance, but the full balance is owed back when you sell, refinance, transfer title, or stop using the home as your primary residence. The lien is paid from your sale proceeds at that time.

How much down payment assistance can I get?

The assistance equals 5% of the first mortgage loan amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000.[2] The money can cover down payment and closing costs on the first mortgage. The first mortgage must be a Florida Housing first-mortgage product — FHA, VA, USDA, or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage.

What is the 2026 income limit in Duval County?

For Duval County, the 2026 Hometown Heroes borrower income limit is $163,050 under the TBA program, effective with reservations as of May 6, 2026; the Bond program uses household limits of $108,700 (1–2 person) and $125,005 (3+ person).[4] The program standard is household income at or below 150% of the county area median income.[3] Confirm the current figure with a participating lender — Florida Housing updates limits annually based on HUD AMI data.

Do I have to be a first-time buyer?

For most borrowers, yes — you cannot have owned a primary residence in the last three years. Veterans are exempt from the first-time buyer rule and can use the program even if they have owned before.

Does the Hometown Heroes loan ever get forgiven?

No. The second mortgage is non-forgivable. The full balance becomes due when you sell the home, refinance the first mortgage, transfer title, or stop occupying the property as your primary residence. There is no monthly payment in the meantime and no interest accrues.

What credit score do I need?

640 minimum middle credit score for most loan types. Some lenders or product overlays may require higher. Recent late payments, charge-offs, or active collections can disqualify even at 640+, so an early pre-approval conversation matters.

Can I use Hometown Heroes with a VA loan?

Yes. The first mortgage can be a VA loan, which means an eligible veteran can stack VA's $0-down benefit with Hometown Heroes assistance to also cover closing costs. This is one of the strongest combinations in the program.

Work With Keith

Run your Hometown Heroes scenario with a Jacksonville broker who has done this for thirty years.

Direct answers. No pressure. I'll line you up with a participating lender, walk through what the numbers really look like for the home you have in mind, and stay on the file from offer to closing.

(904) 554-8560 keithjonessr@gmail.com

Public Services Realty

License BK3328013 · ABR · MRP

Related guides

Buying in Northeast Florida VA Loans in Jacksonville FHA Loans in NE Florida Duval County complete guide Short sales & foreclosure help

Sources

  1. Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Hometown Heroes Program (official program administrator) — floridahousing.org. Accessed August 2026.
  2. Mortgages by Cheryl, "Florida Hometown Heroes Program 2026: Everything You Need to Know About the New Updates" — mortgagesbycheryl.com. 5% of first mortgage, $10,000 minimum / $35,000 maximum; repayable (not a grant); 2026 employer-category rules. Accessed August 2026.
  3. Mortgage-Info, "Florida Hometown Heroes Program 2026" — mortgage-info.com. 0% non-amortizing deferred 30-year second; eligibility (full-time Florida employer, 640 credit, homebuyer education, approved lender, primary residence); 3-year first-time standard with veteran exception; 150% AMI standard; FHA/VA/USDA/conventional first mortgages. Accessed August 2026.
  4. Make Florida Your Home, "Florida Hometown Heroes Income Limits" — makefloridayourhome.com. Duval County 2026: $163,050 TBA borrower income; $108,700 / $125,005 Bond household limits; $580,750 TBA FHA loan cap; effective with reservations as of May 6, 2026. Accessed August 2026.
  5. Make Florida Your Home, "Florida Hometown Heroes Funding" — makefloridayourhome.com. $50 million 2026 appropriation; reopened July 13, 2026, 10:00 AM EST; ~7–8 month projection; pause-and-replenish mechanics. Accessed August 2026.
  6. 93.3 FLZ / iHeart, "Florida Hometown Heroes Program Reopens With Up to $35K for Homebuyers" (July 14, 2026) — 933flz.iheart.com. Occupations highlighted for the July 2026 relaunch. Accessed August 2026.
  7. JVM Lending, "Florida FHA Loan Limits" — jvmlending.com. 2026 Duval County FHA limit $580,750; Florida baseline FHA limit $541,287; Florida 2026 single-family conforming limit $832,750. Accessed August 2026.
  8. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FHA Mortgage Limits lookup — hud.gov. Accessed August 2026.
  9. News4Jax, “Northeast Florida home prices rise in June as inventory gives buyers more choices” (NEFAR June 2026 report) — news4jax.com. Duval County median single-family sale price $350,000; median 25 days on market; 988 closed sales; 3,481 homes in inventory (~3.5-month supply). As of June 2026. Accessed August 2026.
  10. Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey via GlobeNewswire, "Mortgage Rates Average 6.66%" (July 30, 2026) — globenewswire.com. 30-year 6.66% / 15-year 6.04%, week of July 30, 2026. Accessed August 2026.
  11. Action News Jax, "NEFAR releases June 2026 market statistics" — actionnewsjax.com. Regional median $420,000 (+2.4% MoM, +7.9% YoY), June 2026; "healthy market" characterization. Accessed August 2026.
  12. National Association of REALTORS®, "First-Time Home Buyer Share Falls to Historic Low of 21%; Median Age Rises to 40" (2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers) — nar.realtor. First-time share 21%; median age 40; median down payments 10% vs 23%. Accessed August 2026.
  13. City of Jacksonville, Housing and Community Development — Housing Services (Headstart to Homeownership) — jacksonville.gov. Up to $25,000 listed; 80% AMI household limit; no current ownership; primary residence; Section 8 HQS inspection; approval before contract. Accessed August 2026.
  14. H2H Program — h2hprogram.com. $500 minimum buyer contribution; 8-hour homebuyer education; Duval County property requirement. Accessed August 2026.
  15. Jacksonville Today, "Low-income homebuyers in Jacksonville" (March 19, 2026) — jaxtoday.org. 396 homes / $12.813 million in H2H assistance over five years, concentrated in Northwest and West side zips. Accessed August 2026.
  16. Make Florida Your Home, "Florida Assist Second Mortgage Program" — makefloridayourhome.com. Up to $10,000 at 0% interest, deferred, non-forgivable; pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first mortgages. Accessed August 2026.

Informational only, not financial, legal, tax, or insurance advice. Program rules, income limits, funding availability, and loan limits change. Market statistics are dated as noted. Confirm current figures with a Florida Housing-approved lender and the program administrators before relying on them for an offer.

Whose Deal This Program Actually Helps

Whose deal does this program actually help? The buyer with steady qualifying income but thin savings — Hometown Heroes exists precisely for the file where the payment works and the cash to close does not. It helps veterans doubly, since they skip the first-time-buyer test entirely. It does not help investors, second-home buyers, or anyone planning to convert the property to a rental soon, because the deferred second comes due when occupancy ends. Ask one question before applying: will this be your primary residence for years, not months? If yes, keep reading. If no, the payoff trigger will find you.

Program figures go stale quickly; make your lender confirm the live income and loan limits — and that funding remains open — before you write an offer. Flood zone must be verified for the specific address through the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, and school assignment through Duval County Public Schools, since both shift at boundary lines. Recorded assessments and taxes for any parcel are at the Duval County Property Appraiser; statewide exemption rules are with the Florida Department of Revenue.

Not sure whether your income squeaks under the cap, or whether a reservation can land before your lease ends? That is a ten-minute phone call: (904) 554-8560. While funding is open, keep a shortlist moving in the live home search.

Frequently Asked Questions & Local Intelligence

Q: How do CDD fees and HOA dues affect monthly costs?

A: Community Development District (CDD) bonds finance infrastructure (roads, water parks) over 30 years and typically range from $1,800 to $2,800/yr. HOA fees cover common area maintenance. Evaluating whether CDD debt is expiring gives buyers significant leverage.

Q: What builder flex incentives are available for new construction?

A: Many builders offer incentive packages — often as rate buydowns or closing-cost credits through a preferred lender — and the amounts change month to month and community to community. Always get the current incentive sheet in writing and compare it against the total price, not in isolation. Bringing an independent buyer agent to your first visit protects your pricing rights. Homes zoned for highly rated schools often carry a price premium over otherwise comparable homes zoned elsewhere — the size of that premium shifts with the market, so compare recent sales on both sides of the boundary.

Q: What is the difference between an instant cash offer and listing on MLS?

A: A cash offer trades speed and certainty — an as-is close in days, no showings — against the open market, which usually nets more but takes longer and depends on condition, pricing and timing. Run both numbers side by side before deciding.