Thanks to a $100 million investment by the Florida Legislature, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a new program on May 23, 2022, designed to support Florida's front-line community workers in finding housing. 

Under the Hometown Heroes Housing Program, first-time, income-qualified buyers with 640 credit scores or more in over 50 critical professions are eligible to receive assistance for down payment and closing costs up to 5% of their mortgage amount ($25,000 maximum). Nurses, therapists, and certified nursing assistants (CNAs), as well as home health aides employed full-time by a licensed home health agency, are eligible to apply. The program is administered by the Florida Housing and Finance Corporation.

Click here and here to download program flyers about the program.

• Eligible occupations
• Income and purchase price limits

This opportunity is a creative means of addressing the ongoing health care labor shortage. HCAF applauds the Florida Legislature for this unprecedented investment and acknowledgment of home care workers who have bravely served — and are still serving — patients/clients during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

HCAF urges home health agency leadership to promote the program to assist clinicians and caregivers in becoming homeowners and assure these workers that the increase in in-home care utilization almost guarantees they will have work in order to pay their new mortgage.

Applications open on June 1, 2022.

Related:

• Here Are Answers to 10 Questions About the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program (Fort Myers News-Press, 5/24/22)