Every year, working families in America leave roughly $10–15 billion in legitimate buyer assistance on the table — programs they qualify for, programs they paid for through their taxes, programs that exist precisely to help them buy a home. The single biggest reason: their lender didn’t bring it up.
This walkthrough exists to fix that. Below: the headline Hero / DPA program in each of the twelve states we serve, with a special focus on Florida (our home) and the one nationwide program every first responder, teacher, EMT, and law-enforcement officer should know exists.
Two Things To Understand Before The List.
One — DPA is not a mortgage. It’s a layer. Down-payment assistance, hero grants, forgivable seconds, bond-rate first mortgages — they’re all overlays on a base loan (FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional). The base loan is the engine. DPA is the boost. Most borrowers benefit from both.
Two — Most programs have income caps and purchase caps. Both change annually. Both vary by county within a state. The numbers in this guide are accurate as of publication, but we re-verify eligibility on every file before promising you a number.
The National Program Every Hero Should Know.
Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND).
HUD’s Good Neighbor Next Door program offers 50% off the list price on eligible HUD-owned single-family homes in designated revitalization areas. Yes — fifty percent. Real, not a typo, not a gimmick.
Who qualifies:
- Full-time law enforcement officers
- Full-time pre-K through 12 teachers
- Full-time firefighters
- Full-time emergency medical technicians
The catch: GNND inventory is limited, properties are HUD-owned (often foreclosures), they’re located in specific revitalization areas, and buyers must commit to living in the home for three years. For the right buyer in the right market, the program is transformational. We monitor inventory across our footprint and flag matches when they come up.
Florida — Home State, Featured.
Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program.
Florida’s headline Hero program — and by every objective measure, the most generous DPA program in our footprint. Up to 5% of the first mortgage, capped at $35,000, in down-payment and closing-cost assistance. Zero percent interest. Forgivable in the sense that it’s repaid only when you sell, refinance, or move out.
Who qualifies: a Florida resident who works full-time in any of 100+ eligible occupations — first responders, teachers, healthcare workers, childcare workers, active military, and many more. Income limits apply (currently in the $130–150K range depending on county). Purchase price caps apply (varies by county; generally in the $500–700K range across Florida).
The program layers on top of FHA, VA, USDA, and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage / Fannie Mae HFA Preferred conventional first mortgages. We model all four base loans and pick the one that delivers the lowest total monthly with Hometown Heroes layered in.
Other Florida Programs To Know.
- FL Assist — $10,000 second mortgage, 0% interest, repaid at sale or refinance. Pairs with FHA, VA, USDA.
- Salute Our Soldiers — Veteran-specific bond first mortgage with discounted rate; can pair with Hometown Heroes for additional assistance.
- HFA Preferred Grants — 3% or 5% grant on Fannie Mae HFA Preferred conventional first mortgages. Never repaid.
Texas.
Homes For Texas Heroes (TSAHC).
The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation’s Heroes program offers a DPA grant of up to 5% of the loan amount for full-time educators, firefighters, EMS personnel, police, corrections officers, junior college faculty, and veterans. The grant is never repaid as long as the borrower owns the home — true grant, not deferred loan.
Pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional. Income limits and purchase caps vary by county. The TSAHC My First Texas Home program runs in parallel for first-time buyers who aren’t in eligible Hero occupations.
Arizona.
HOME+PLUS & Home In Five Advantage.
The Arizona Housing Finance Authority’s HOME+PLUS program offers DPA up to 5% of the first mortgage statewide — grant or forgivable second depending on the option chosen. In Maricopa and Pima counties, the Home In Five Advantage program adds additional 1% DPA stackable on top of HOME+PLUS for first responders, teachers, and qualified veterans.
California.
CalHFA MyHome & Forgivable Equity Builder.
CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program provides a deferred-payment junior loan up to 3.5% of the purchase price for down payment and closing costs. The newer Forgivable Equity Builder Loan provides up to 10% of the purchase price as a forgivable second for very-low-income buyers — repaid only if the borrower leaves the home in the first five years.
California programs are income-restrictive but generous when you qualify. Layers cleanly with CalHFA’s FHA or conventional first mortgage products.
Oregon.
Oregon Bond Cash Advantage.
The Oregon Bond Residential Loan Program offers a 3% cash advantage option for closing costs and down payment, paired with a competitive bond-rate first mortgage. Pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional. Strongest fit for first-time buyers and modest-income households across the state.
Washington.
WSHFC Home Advantage & House Key Opportunity.
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission’s Home Advantage program offers DPA up to 5% of the first mortgage. House Key Opportunity is the program for very-low-income first-time buyers, with deeper assistance and reduced rates. Both can stack with additional county-level DPA in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.
Idaho.
Idaho Housing IHFA First Loan.
The Idaho Housing & Finance Association’s First Loan program offers DPA tied to a bond-rate first mortgage. Pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional. Available statewide with income limits that scale by household size.
Utah.
UHC FirstHome, Score, & HomeAgain.
The Utah Housing Corporation runs three parallel programs covering different borrower profiles: FirstHome for first-time buyers, Score for buyers with credit profiles in the 620–660 range, and HomeAgain for repeat buyers. All three layer DPA on top of bond-rate first mortgages.
Colorado.
CHFA SmartStep & metroDPA.
The Colorado Housing & Finance Authority offers SmartStep and SmartStep Plus — bond-rate first mortgages with grant DPA up to 4%. In the Denver metro region, the metroDPA program stacks on top of CHFA for additional assistance. Heroes (educators, healthcare, first responders) can access the CHFA SmartStep Special program with a discounted rate.
Michigan.
MSHDA MI Home Loan & MI 10K DPA.
The Michigan State Housing Development Authority offers up to $10,000 in DPA via the MI 10K program, paired with the MSHDA MI Home Loan (a bond-rate FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional first). The DPA is a 0% interest second mortgage repaid at sale or refinance.
Tennessee.
THDA Great Choice Plus & Homeownership For The Brave.
The Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s Great Choice Plus program provides DPA of up to $6,000 or 5% of the loan amount (whichever is greater). The Homeownership for the Brave program adds a 0.5% rate discount on top, available to active military, veterans, reservists, and surviving spouses.
Pennsylvania.
PHFA Keystone Advantage & HOMEstead.
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan offers up to $10,000 DPA as a no-interest second mortgage repaid over 10 years. In eligible counties, the HOMEstead program adds a forgivable second mortgage up to $10,000 with five-year forgiveness. Pairs with PHFA’s Keystone Home Loan first mortgage.
How To Actually Use This Guide.
Three steps:
- Find your state above. Note the headline program name. That’s your starting point — not your ending point.
- Call us, or send the form. We confirm income limits, purchase caps, and program availability for your specific county on the first call. Eligibility typically takes under fifteen minutes to verify.
- We model both paths. First mortgage options (FHA / VA / USDA / conventional / state bond) with DPA layered in, side-by-side. You see the total monthly, the assistance amount, and the forgiveness schedule before you commit to anything.
The Two Things That Disqualify Most People.
Income too high. DPA programs are explicitly for working and middle-income families. Households earning above the cap (typically $130K–$180K depending on state and county) usually don’t qualify. If you’re in that range, we’ll tell you on the first call so you don’t waste time.
Purchase price too high. Most state DPAs cap eligible purchase price at $400K–$700K depending on the market. Above the cap, the file moves to standard agency or jumbo financing without the assistance layer.
Both caps update annually. We always check the current numbers, not the prior year’s.
— Jason Stern is the founder of Hero Mortgage Group, a firefighter-owned brokerage licensed in 12 states. NMLS #1569493. Program details vary by state and update annually; eligibility is always verified at application.