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The Programs You
Probably Don’t Know
You Qualify For.

Down-payment assistance, first-responder grants, state bond programs, and forgivable or deferred seconds — billions of dollars in legitimate buyer assistance flow through these channels every year, and most working families never hear about them because retail lenders don’t bother. We do. Here’s the menu across all 12 states we serve.

See What You Qualify For Speak To A Broker
$35K
Up To, FL Hometown Heroes
12STATES
Where We Place DPA
50%
Off List Price, Good Neighbor
$0FEES
No Lender Fees
Home State

Florida —
Where The Hero
Programs Run Deep.

Florida runs one of the most robust hero and DPA program inventories in the country, and Hero Mortgage Group is based in Boca Raton — so this is the menu we know cold. Featured below is the headline program for first responders, teachers, healthcare workers, and military.

Featured · Florida

Florida Hometown
Heroes Program.

Up to $35,000 in down-payment and closing-cost assistance for eligible Floridians employed full-time.

Layered on top of FHA, VA, USDA, or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage financing. A deferred second mortgage — repaid at sale, refinance, or move-out, not forgivable. Subject to income and purchase price caps that update annually. We pre-screen eligibility in five minutes flat.

  • WHO QUALIFIESFlorida workforce in full-time eligible occupations — first responders, classroom teachers, healthcare workers, childcare, active military, more than 100+ qualifying titles.
  • ASSISTANCE AMOUNTUp to 5% of the total loan amount (capped at $35,000, minimum $10,000), 0% interest, deferred — not forgivable. Repaid in full at sale, refinance, transfer of deed, payoff of the first mortgage, or when you stop occupying the home.
  • LAYERS WITHFHA, VA, USDA, and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage conventional loans (Fannie Mae HFA Preferred is not available under Hometown Heroes for 2026).
  • OTHER FL OPTIONSFL Assist ($10K second mortgage), Salute Our Soldiers (veteran-specific), HFA Preferred Grants.

If you live and work in Florida, this is almost certainly the first program we model. The math is rarely close — Hometown Heroes wins more files than any other DPA we touch.

Across All 12 States We Serve

The Other Eleven
States, Mapped.

Programs change annually — income limits, purchase caps, and availability all shift. The list below is the current snapshot of what we work with regularly. Click a tile’s state code to call us if you’re buying there.

TX Texas

Homes For Texas HeroesFirst-responder/teacher/EMS DPA up to 5% — grant, forgivable-second or deferred-second. TDHCA’s My First Texas Home runs separately for general DPA.

AZ Arizona

HOME+PLUS · Home In FiveHOME+PLUS: up to 4% statewide via the Arizona Industrial Development Authority — a forgivable second (not a grant) that forgives all at once at year five. Home In Five is Maricopa County only and does not stack; you choose one.

CA California

CalHFA MyHome · ZIP · MyAccessUp to 3.5% deferred, simple-interest DPA via CalHFA, plus ZIP (closing costs only) and MyAccess layered behind it. No sales price limit.

OR Oregon

OHCS Flex Lending · FirstHome4% standard or 5% Focused Demographics DPA. Forgivable second at or below 80% AMI; amortizing second above it. Replaced Oregon Bond, which closed to new reservations 3/31/2025.

WA Washington

Home Advantage · House Key OpportunityWSHFC Home Advantage DPA up to 5%; Opportunity program for first-time buyers with income limits.

ID Idaho

IHFA First LoanIdaho Housing & Finance Association DPA programs pairing with FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional.

UT Utah

UHC FirstHome · FHA/VA · HFA AdvantageThree active Utah Housing Corporation tracks with DPA layered in. Assistance is a repayable second — amortizing or deferred, never forgiven. Score, HomeAgain and NoMI are temporarily suspended.

CO Colorado

CHFA SmartStep · metroDPA · Schools to HomeSmartStep: grant up to $25,000 or 3%, or a deferred second up to $25,000 or 4% repaid on sale or refinance. metroDPA is a separate program, not a stack — 3–5%, never forgiven. Schools to Home gives Colorado educators up to 25% with shared appreciation.

MI Michigan

MSHDA MI Home Loan · MI 10K DPAUp to $10,000 DPA via the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, paired with the MI Home Loan.

TN Tennessee

Great Choice Plus · Homeownership for HeroesTHDA deferred DPA of $6K or $10K (forgiven only at year 10), or an amortizing 5% up to $15K repaid monthly. Heroes adds up to ½% off the rate for a defined list of first responders, K-12 teachers and military.

PA Pennsylvania

PHFA K-FIT · Keystone Advantage · HOMEsteadK-FIT forgives 10% a year over ten years. Keystone Advantage is 4% or $6,000, whichever is less, repaid monthly over ten years at 0%. HOMEstead forgives 20% a year over five, with pre-1978 and geographic exclusions.

★ National Programs

Good Neighbor Next DoorHUD program offering qualified law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, and teachers 50% off list price on HUD-owned homes in revitalization areas. Available nationwide.

How We Actually Use These.

The mistake most first-time buyers make is treating DPA as the headline. It’s not. The right first mortgage is the headline. DPA is the layer on top that gets you in the door with less cash.

Step One — The First Mortgage.

We model FHA, VA, conventional, and any state-specific bond first mortgage on your file. The right base loan depends on credit, down payment, hold period, and income limits.

Step Two — The DPA Layer.

Once the first is selected, we identify which DPA programs your file is eligible for. Most state DPAs are tied to a specific bond first mortgage — so the choice in Step One determines what’s available in Step Two.

Step Three — Stack Where Possible.

Stacking is rarer than most sites imply. Arizona’s HOME+PLUS and Home in Five do not combine, and Colorado’s metroDPA does not layer on CHFA — each originates its own first mortgage, so you pick one. Where a genuine third-party stack exists we will map it. Where it does not, we will tell you which single program wins on your file.

Step Four — Plan The Exit.

Some DPA is forgivable after 3, 5, or 10 years of occupancy. Other programs — including Florida Hometown Heroes — are deferred, meaning the full balance is repaid when you sell, refinance, or move out. Some has recapture provisions if you sell early. We hand you a one-page summary at closing showing exactly when each piece of assistance becomes truly yours.

The Income & Purchase Caps.

Every DPA program has income limits and purchase price caps that vary by county and update annually. The Florida Hometown Heroes Program is currently the most generous on both axes in our footprint — but it’s competitive in Texas, California, and Colorado as well.

We don’t pretend you qualify if you don’t. The first call confirms eligibility in under fifteen minutes. If you’re over the caps, we tell you and pivot the strategy. No wasted time.

Get Your Eligibility Check Call (561) 468-HERO
Frequently Asked

Questions You Should
Be Asking.

What is down payment assistance?

Down payment assistance (DPA) is a grant, a forgivable second mortgage, or a deferred second mortgage that helps cover your down payment and closing costs. Which structure you get determines whether it is ever repaid, so always confirm before you sign. DPA layers on top of a base loan (FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional) and is funded by state and federal programs designed for working-class buyers. We model your file against every DPA program available in your state.

Who qualifies for Florida Hometown Heroes?

Full-time Florida workers in 100+ eligible occupations: first responders, classroom teachers, healthcare workers, childcare workers, active military, and many state/federal/local government roles. Income limits are set by county and measured on the borrower's qualifying income — $148,050 in most counties, rising to $190,200 in Broward, $192,750 in Palm Beach, $204,300 in Miami-Dade, and $214,950 in Monroe (2026 limits, effective for reservations as of 5/06/2026). Maximum loan amounts vary by county and loan type: $541,287 to $990,150 on FHA, and $832,750 on Freddie Mac HFA Advantage and VA ($990,150 in Monroe). Eligibility is verified at application.

Who is not eligible for Hometown Heroes?

Remote employees are not eligible — Florida Housing defines a remote employee as someone working from home full-time outside a traditional office. Hybrid employees, who split time between home and the eligible employer location, do qualify. Offer letters are not accepted; you must be currently working full-time for the eligible Florida employer at closing. Veterans are exempt from the eligible-employer list but not from the full-time work requirement, and must document with a DD-214 rather than a Certificate of Eligibility. New construction must have a Certificate of Occupancy issued before the loan is reserved.

What credit score and DTI does Hometown Heroes require?

A minimum 640 credit score on all loan types, rising to 660 if the file is manually underwritten. Blended FICOs are not permitted. Maximum DTI is 50% with an automated underwriting approval, 43% on a manual underwrite, and 45% on manufactured housing. All usable income counts toward the county income limit — base, overtime, bonus, commission, and any other recurring income — whether or not it is needed to qualify.

How much can I get from the Hometown Heroes program?

Up to 5% of the total loan amount, capped at $35,000 with a $10,000 minimum, in down-payment and closing-cost assistance. The assistance is a 0% interest, non-amortizing, deferred second mortgage — not a grant and not forgivable. There is no monthly payment, but the full balance becomes due when you sell, refinance, transfer the deed, pay off the first mortgage, or stop using the home as your primary residence.

Can I use DPA with a VA loan?

In some states yes, in some states no. Florida's Hometown Heroes program allows pairing with VA loans. Texas Homes For Heroes pairs with VA. CalHFA MyHome pairs with VA. Some state DPAs are restricted to FHA only. We verify eligibility for your specific zip code and occupation on the first call.

Is the Good Neighbor Next Door program real?

Yes — it's a HUD program offering 50% off list price on HUD-owned single-family homes in designated revitalization areas. Eligible: full-time law enforcement officers, K-12 teachers, firefighters, and EMTs. Required: a 3-year owner-occupancy commitment. Inventory is limited, but for the right buyer in the right market, it's transformational.

Do I need to be a first-time buyer for DPA?

Most state DPA programs require first-time buyer status (defined as not having owned a home in the past 3 years). However, several programs — including Florida Hometown Heroes for active-duty military and Texas Homes For Heroes for veterans — waive the first-time buyer requirement entirely.

How long does the DPA application add to closing?

Typically 5-10 days on top of a standard close. State agency approval is the only added step — once approved, the DPA funds wire directly to the title company at closing. We pre-submit the DPA file so it's working in parallel with underwriting, not after.

Free Reference · Loan Program Series · No. 6

The DPA & Hero
Programs Playbook.

A complete reference to every DPA program we run — Florida Hometown Heroes ($35K), Good Neighbor Next Door (50% off list price), Texas Homes For Heroes, and the state HFA programs across all 12 states. Free. No email required.

Read The DPA Playbook
What's Inside
  • 01What DPA IsForgivable, deferred, and grant structures.
  • 02Federal ProgramsGood Neighbor Next Door, 1% Down, HomeReady.
  • 03Florida Hometown Heroes$35K · 100+ eligible occupations · deep dive.
  • 04State HFA LineupAll 10 state HFA programs we run across 12 states.
Continue Reading

Go Deeper.

Heroes & DPA

Florida Hometown Heroes 2026: Funded, Capped, Still Underused.

$35,000 toward down payment and closing costs for FL professionals. The 2026 program details, the timing trap, and what most retail banks won't tell you about the wholesale channel access required.

9-Min Read →
If You Serve, You Probably Qualify

Assistance Was
Written For You.

No documents required to start. Eligibility confirmed in under fifteen minutes on the first call. If you qualify, we map every program available to your file. If you don't, we tell you — and pivot to the right plan.

Get Your Eligibility Check Call (561) 468-HERO