By Carrie Liotta, Space Coast REALTOR® | Published May 22, 2026 Quick Answer Florida’s Hometown Heroes program offers Brevard County buyers up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance — at 0% interest, with no monthly payments. The 2026 income limit for Brevard is $149,850. Eligible workers include teachers, nurses, firefighters, military members, and more than 100 other professions. Funds are limited and first-come, first-served. When my clients first hear about the Hometown Heroes program, most of them think it sounds too good to be true. Up to $35,000 toward your down payment? Zero percent interest? No monthly payments? I completely understand the skepticism — but this one is real, and for the right buyer, it is genuinely one of the most powerful tools available in Brevard County right now. Let me break down exactly what it covers, who qualifies in 2026, and what you need to know before you apply. What Is the Florida Hometown Heroes Program? Hometown Heroes is Florida’s flagship down payment assistance program for essential workers, administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Launched in 2022, it has helped tens of thousands of Floridians clear the biggest barrier to buying a home: the upfront cash required to close. The program provides a second mortgage that covers your down payment and closing costs — up to $35,000, or 5% of your first mortgage loan amount (minimum $10,000). The key features: ✅ 0% interest rate — no interest charges while you live in the home ✅ No monthly payments — the assistance is fully deferred ✅ 30-year deferred term ⚠️ Not forgivable — the full amount is repaid when you sell, refinance, or move out Think of it as an interest-free loan that lets you keep your cash in your pocket while you build equity. You’re not getting a gift — but you’re getting a 0% bridge that many buyers could never find anywhere else. How Much Can You Get in Brevard County? The assistance is calculated at 5% of your first mortgage loan amount, with these guardrails: First Mortgage Amount Hometown Heroes Assistance $200,000 or less $10,000 (minimum) $300,000 $15,000 $400,000 $20,000 $500,000 $25,000 $700,000+ $35,000 (maximum) Real-World Brevard Example: $375,000 Home Say you’re a nurse buying a 3/2 in Viera for $375,000. Here’s how the numbers look: Without Hometown Heroes: Down payment (3.5% FHA): $13,125 Estimated closing costs: $11,000 Cash needed to close: ~$24,125 With Hometown Heroes: Loan amount: $361,875 Hometown Heroes assistance (5%): $18,094 Cash needed to close: ~$6,000 That’s the difference between “we can’t do this yet” and “we’re closing next month.” Bonus Tax Savings You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Hometown Heroes buyers also receive exemptions from documentary stamp tax and intangible tax on the second mortgage — saving approximately $2,000 for every $100,000 of purchase price. On a $375,000 home, that’s roughly $7,500 in additional savings stacked on top of the down payment assistance. Who Qualifies? The 2026 Eligible Occupations This is the most important update from 2025: the program now requires a specific eligible occupation. Previously, any full-time Florida worker could qualify. Today, you must work in one of these categories (only one borrower on the loan needs to qualify): Healthcare Workers Registered Nurses, LPNs, CNAs, physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, physical/occupational/speech therapists, mental health counselors, and medical technicians. Education Professionals K–12 teachers, school administrators, counselors, paraprofessionals, librarians, college professors, and special education teachers. First Responders Police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, corrections officers, and search-and-rescue personnel. Military & Veterans Active duty (all branches), Reserves, Florida National Guard, Coast Guard, and honorably discharged veterans employed full-time in Florida. If you’re stationed at Patrick Space Force Base, this is written directly for you. Childcare Workers Daycare providers, preschool teachers, early childhood educators, Head Start employees, and after-school program workers. Court System Employees Court clerks, reporters, bailiffs, public defenders’ staff, state attorneys’ staff, and judicial assistants. Brevard County Income Limit for 2026 To qualify, your household income must be at or below 150% of Brevard County’s Area Median Income. For 2026, that limit is: Brevard County 2026 Income Limit: $149,850 Household gross income must be at or below this amount Important notes on income calculation: This is gross household income (before taxes), not take-home pay Includes overtime, bonuses, tips, and any pension income Non-borrowing spouse income counts — even if they’re not on the loan Exceeding the limit by even $1 disqualifies the application The good news: limits were raised approximately 8–12% statewide beginning in mid-2025, reflecting higher wages and rising home prices across Florida. More Brevard households now qualify than ever before. Other Eligibility Requirements First-Time Buyer Requirement You must not have owned a home in the past 3 years. Veterans are entirely exempt from this requirement — they can use the program even if they’ve owned multiple homes. Credit Score Minimum 640 for most loan types. 660 for manufactured homes or manual underwriting. Debt-to-Income (DTI) Maximum 50% with automated underwriting, 43% for manual underwriting. Employment Full-time, 35+ hours per week, with a Florida-based employer. Remote work is allowed as long as your employer is Florida-based. Property Type Primary residence only — single-family homes, townhomes, condos, 2–4 unit owner-occupied, and manufactured homes. Investment properties and vacation homes are not eligible. Homebuyer Education A HUD-approved homebuyer education course is required (online options available). Veterans using a VA loan are exempt. Loan Types: FHA, VA, or Conventional? Hometown Heroes can be paired with four types of first mortgages: FHA Heroes — 3.5% down, credit-friendly, most popular VA Heroes — 0% down for qualifying veterans and active duty; no PMI HFA Preferred Heroes (Conventional) — 3% down, requires PMI below 80% LTV HFA Advantage Heroes (Conventional) — similar to Preferred, different PMI structure For military families and veterans at Patrick SFB, the VA Heroes combination is particularly powerful: the VA’s zero-down benefit stacked with Hometown Heroes assistance means many buyers can close with little to no cash out of pocket. If you’re weighing neighborhoods near the base, see my guide to