Have you heard of Florida Assist, the $10,000 second mortgage that Florida Housing pairs with its own first mortgages? If you are a first-time buyer comparing Florida's state programs, you have probably seen it listed right beside Hometown Heroes — and that placement causes most of the confusion about how the two fit together.
This playbook works from the 2026 governing documents: Florida Housing's homebuyer program overview, its Standard TBA Lender Guide (revised 9/17/26), the Standard Programs Master Term Sheet (revised 9/17/26), and the 2026 Hometown Heroes TBA Lender Guide (revised 9/17/26). Where a figure is not on those documents, we say so and point you to the agency or your lender.
Florida Assist is a $10,000, 0% second mortgage from Florida Housing with no monthly payment. It is never forgiven and is repaid in full on sale, refinance, transfer, payoff of the first, or move-out.
What Florida Assist Is In 2026
Florida Assist is the first of two second-mortgage options in Florida Housing's standard programs. The Standard TBA Lender Guide describes it as "$10,000 (available with all first mortgage options above)," "0%, non-amortizing, deferred," and carrying "No monthly payment."
The master term sheet adds the term: a 30-year, deferred second whose maturity date equals the maturity date of the first mortgage. It also states plainly that the loan "is not forgiven" and "is always repaid."
Keep in mind that Florida Assist cannot be used by itself. Florida Housing's overview page states that "Down payment assistance is only available when used with Florida Housing's first mortgage loan," and that it is "NOT available as 'stand alone' down payment assistance."
Which First Mortgages It Rides On
The master term sheet lists the eligible first mortgages for Florida Assist on both sides of Florida Housing's program. Those include:
- TBA conventional. Freddie Mac's HFA Advantage for TBA, which offers reduced-cost mortgage insurance for borrowers at or below Freddie Mac's 80% AMI threshold.
- TBA government. The standard TBA government first for FHA and VA; the 2026 Florida Assist limits table also carries USDA-RD income columns, so confirm RD availability with your lender.
- Bond. FL First (government), Fannie Mae's HFA Preferred, and Freddie Mac's HFA Advantage for Bond.
The one first mortgage it does not ride on is the HFA Advantage PLUS, which carries its own 3%, 4% or 5% forgivable second. All of this adds up to a simple rule: Florida Assist is the flat-dollar option attached to the standard first mortgages, and the PLUS and Hometown Heroes firsts each come with their own second.
The Underwriting Floor
Florida Housing layers its own requirements on top of the agency guidelines. Per the master term sheet revised 9/17/26, the floor includes:
- Credit. A 640 minimum FICO for all borrowers, or 660 on a manual underwrite.
- Debt-to-income. A 50% maximum DTI with an AUS approve/eligible finding, 43% on a manual underwrite, and 45% on manufactured housing.
- First-time buyer status. No ownership interest in a principal residence in the prior three years, unless the buyer qualifies under the veteran's exemption or purchases in a federally designated targeted area.
- Education. One occupying borrower must complete a program-approved pre-purchase homebuyer education course; post-closing education is unacceptable.
- Lender fees. The Standard TBA guide caps lender fees at $1,750, including origination, processing and administrative fees.
Note that the 640 floor and the 50% DTI cap are program limits, not approvals. Your lender's automated findings still decide whether the file clears.
2026 County Income Limits For Florida Assist
Income limits are where Florida Assist differs most from Hometown Heroes. The Standard TBA guide publishes a dedicated table titled "2026 Income & Loan Limits For FHLMC's HFA Advantage, FHA, RD & VA Standard TBA First Mortgages With The FL Assist Second Mortgage," effective with reservations made 5/06/26.
On the TBA side, the guide says the income of all borrowers on the loan counts, including any non-occupying co-signor, but household income is not used. The limit itself is adjusted for household size, which is why the table carries two tiers.
For 2026 TBA reservations made on or after 5/06/26, Florida Assist income limits run from $113,505 (1–2 persons) in the floor counties up to $171,960 in Monroe. Orange County is $132,135 for 1–2 persons and $137,880 for 3+.
The table below reproduces the source's own columns for a selection of counties, unchanged. The USDA columns are omitted here; the full 67-county table is on pages 16–17 of the Standard TBA Lender Guide.
| County | Income Limits 1–2 Persons | Income Limits 3+ Persons | FHA Loan Limits | Conventional and VA Loan Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broward | $145,820.00 | $152,160.00 | $667,000.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Duval | $125,005.00 | $130,440.00 | $580,750.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Hillsborough | $131,905.00 | $137,640.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Lee | $129,260.00 | $134,880.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Leon | $116,650.00 | $119,400.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Miami-Dade | $156,630.00 | $163,440.00 | $667,000.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Monroe | $171,960.00 | $171,960.00 | $990,150.00 | $990,150.00 |
| Orange | $132,135.00 | $137,880.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Palm Beach | $147,775.00 | $154,200.00 | $667,000.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Pinellas | $131,905.00 | $137,640.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Polk | $118,099.00 | $118,440.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Sarasota | $131,215.00 | $136,920.00 | $547,400.00 | $832,750.00 |
| Hardee (one of the floor counties) | $113,505.00 | $118,440.00 | $541,287.00 | $832,750.00 |
Twenty-one counties, from Calhoun to Washington, sit at the same floor figures as Hardee. What's more, the Bond side of the program uses separate, lower limits and counts household income, so a buyer near the line may qualify under TBA and not under Bond.
Florida Housing's Bond vs. TBA cheat sheet notes that "Income limits determine eligible second mortgage option." Florida Assist and the $12,500 FL HLP second each have their own table, so confirm which one your income fits before your lender reserves.
When The Florida Assist Second Is Repaid
Repayment is the part buyers most often misread. Florida Assist has no monthly payment, but it is a lien for its full 30-year term, and the master term sheet lists five events that make it "due and payable, in full":
- Sale. Selling the home pays off the $10,000 from your proceeds at closing.
- Transfer of deed. Moving title to someone else, including a family member, triggers repayment.
- Satisfaction of the first mortgage. Paying the first off early, from savings or a windfall, brings the second due at the same time.
- Refinancing. The term sheet says "refinancing of the first mortgage" without carving out rate-and-term refinances, so plan on any refinance repaying it.
- Ceasing to occupy. Moving out and converting the home to a rental makes the balance due.
Because the loan is 0% and non-amortizing, the payoff is the original $10,000 whenever a trigger happens. Remember that it does not shrink over time either — that is the trade for having no payment and no interest.
Florida Assist is repaid in full, at its original $10,000 balance, when you sell, transfer the deed, pay off or refinance the first mortgage, or stop occupying the home. Otherwise it matures with the first mortgage.
The refinance trigger matters most for future planning. If rates fall and you later weigh a refinance, the payoff figure for your Florida Housing first will include this second, and that belongs in any break-even math alongside the rules for assuming a mortgage, which do not extend to conventional Florida Housing loans.
Why Florida Assist Does Not Stack With Hometown Heroes
It is a common assumption that a lender can layer Florida Assist on top of Hometown Heroes for a larger total. Florida Housing's 2026 guides say otherwise, in both directions.
The Standard TBA guide says Florida Assist "cannot be combined with any of FL Housing's other down payment programs." The 2026 Hometown Heroes TBA guide labels its 5% second "THE ONLY SECOND MORTGAGE OPTION" and repeats that it "cannot be combined with any of FL Housing's other down payment programs."
The master term sheet closes the loop with a single sentence: "FL Housing's Down Payment Assistance program cannot be combined with another FL Housing Down Payment Assistance program." There is no lender procedure that converts the two into one stack.
Florida Housing's 2026 guides bar combining Florida Assist with Hometown Heroes or any other Florida Housing assistance, so a buyer gets one Florida Housing second. Outside agency help can sit behind it in third position.
What The Lender Actually Has To Do
Since stacking is off the table, the lender's real job is to put you in the right single program before the loan is locked. Here's how that works in the eHousingPlus reservation system Florida Housing uses:
- Choose the first mortgage first. The Hometown Heroes guide states that borrowers using an HTH first "must close w/ the HTH Second Mortgage," while standard firsts carry Florida Assist or FL HLP.
- Reserve the second deliberately. The master term sheet says to reserve the second under "Add/DPA/MCC," because the system will not add it automatically when several options exist; Hometown Heroes auto-calculates its own second.
- Decide before locking. The HTH guide's key reminders say a lender "Cannot cancel a current lock in standard BOND or standard TBA to move to HTH."
- Layer outside help correctly. Both guides permit subsidy from other agencies only if it is stand-alone assistance in third lien position behind Florida Housing's second, which the Hometown Heroes lender FAQ (7/27/26) confirms.
- Match the note to the reservation. Closers confirm the second's amount equals the reserved amount and that its maturity date matches the first mortgage.
Be aware that participation is also a one-time event. The Hometown Heroes TBA guide restricts all borrowers, including non-occupying co-signors, to "a one-time participation in FL Housing's Homebuyer Loan Programs," covering every first and second mortgage program.
Florida Assist Versus Hometown Heroes At A Glance
The comparison below draws each row from the 9/17/26 revisions of the two guides and the Hometown Heroes program page. For county-by-county Hometown Heroes detail, our Florida Hometown Heroes guide by county walks through the occupation list and the Bond tables.
| Term | Florida Assist | Hometown Heroes (TBA) |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | $10,000 flat | 5% of total loan amount, $10,000 minimum, $35,000 maximum |
| Rate and payment | 0%, non-amortizing, no monthly payment | 0%, non-amortizing, no monthly payment |
| Term | 30-year, matures with the first | 30-year, matures with the first |
| Forgivable | No | No |
| Who qualifies | First-time buyers under county income limits | Full-time workers in eligible occupations for Florida-based employers, plus military and full-time-employed veterans; no remote workers |
| Combine with other Florida Housing DPA | No | No |
Hometown Heroes also carries higher TBA income limits. Here is how the two tables compare for five counties, as published:
| County | Florida Assist TBA (1–2 / 3+ persons) | Hometown Heroes TBA (FHA, VA, HFA Advantage) |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | $131,905.00 / $137,640.00 | $172,050 |
| Orange | $132,135.00 / $137,880.00 | $172,350 |
| Duval | $125,005.00 / $130,440.00 | $163,050 |
| Miami-Dade | $156,630.00 / $163,440.00 | $204,300 |
| Polk | $118,099.00 / $118,440.00 | $148,050 |
Worked Example: An Orange County Purchase In 2026
The following example is illustrative. It uses the published 2026 limits and program amounts; the purchase price, income and loan structure are assumptions, and no interest rate is quoted because Florida Housing publishes rates daily and your rate depends on credit, LTV and term.
Consider two co-borrowers in a three-person household buying a $350,000 home in Orange County. Their combined qualifying income on the 1003 is $128,000, and they choose Freddie Mac's HFA Advantage for TBA at 97% LTV, which the master term sheet permits with a 105% CLTV ceiling.
- First mortgage. 97% of $350,000 is a $339,500 loan, well under Orange County's $832,750 conventional loan limit.
- Down payment. The remaining 3% is $10,500.
- Florida Assist test. $128,000 is below Orange County's $137,880 limit for three or more persons, so the household fits the Florida Assist table.
- Florida Assist amount. $10,000, which covers all but $500 of the down payment before closing costs.
Now suppose one borrower works full time as a nurse for an Orlando hospital and the household instead qualifies for Hometown Heroes. Five percent of the $339,500 total loan amount is $16,975, inside the $10,000 to $35,000 band, and $128,000 is well under the $172,350 Hometown Heroes TBA limit for Orange County.
That $16,975 covers the $10,500 down payment with $6,475 left for standard closing costs. Keep in mind that the guides bar using Florida Housing second-mortgage funds for a realtor commission, to bridge a gap between appraised value and price, or to pay off borrower debt.
Either way, the household closes with one Florida Housing second, not both. If they sell in year six, the Florida Assist path repays $10,000 at closing and the Hometown Heroes path repays $16,975, because neither balance grows or shrinks.
Change one input and the answer changes. At $140,000 of qualifying income, this household is above the $137,880 Florida Assist limit for Orange County, so Florida Assist is off the table; Hometown Heroes remains available only if the occupation and employer rules are met.
In an illustrative $350,000 Orange County purchase at 97% LTV, Florida Assist adds $10,000 against a $10,500 down payment. Hometown Heroes would add $16,975 instead, and the buyer gets one or the other, never both.
What To Confirm Before You Reserve
A few closing details make Florida Assist cheaper to carry than a typical second. Per the master term sheet, the second mortgage and note are exempt from documentary stamp and intangible taxes, the only second-mortgage program fee is recording, and title insurance on Florida Housing's seconds is prohibited.
The deed itself is not exempt, so the usual transfer-side stamps still apply. Our breakdown of Florida documentary stamp and intangible taxes shows how those are calculated on the first mortgage and deed.
Condos are permitted with no Florida Housing overlays, which means the project review follows FHA, VA or Freddie Mac rules. If you are buying in a building, the Florida condo financing rules will matter more than the second mortgage does.
Finally, confirm current funding and status directly. Florida Housing's lender administrator posts rates and program documents on its program highlights page, and only a participating lender can reserve funds for your file.
Where Florida Assist Fits In Your Plan
Florida Assist is the right tool for a buyer who fits the county income table, needs a modest, fixed amount toward closing, and plans to hold the first mortgage for years. It is a deferred loan with a known payoff, and that payoff belongs in your plans for any future sale or refinance.
For the wider picture — first-mortgage options, closing costs and county taxes — start with our Florida mortgage guide and the home-buying guide. To compare price points across Florida markets, the housing affordability map is a useful next stop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Florida Assist charge interest or grow over time?
No. The 2026 master term sheet sets Florida Assist at 0% and non-amortizing, so the balance stays at the original $10,000 until a trigger like a sale or refinance makes it due in full.
Can a county SHIP or city down payment program be added to Florida Assist?
Yes, with conditions. Florida Housing permits subsidy from other agencies only as stand-alone assistance recorded in third lien position, behind both the first mortgage and the Florida Assist second.
Does Florida Assist work on a condo purchase?
Condos are permitted. Florida Housing's Bond vs. TBA cheat sheet says to follow agency guidelines with no Florida Housing overlays, so the project still has to pass the FHA, VA or Freddie Mac condo review.
What credit score and DTI does Florida Assist require?
The 9/17/26 master term sheet sets a 640 minimum FICO for all borrowers, or 660 on a manual underwrite. Maximum DTI is 50% with an AUS approval and 43% on a manual underwrite.
Are there closing costs on the Florida Assist second itself?
Very few. Per the master term sheet, the second carries a recording fee only, is exempt from documentary stamp and intangible taxes, and cannot carry title insurance, though the deed is not exempt.
This article is for informational purposes and is not financial or mortgage advice. Program terms, income limits and loan limits are drawn from Florida Housing's 2026 guides revised 9/17/26 and can change; confirm current figures with Florida Housing or a participating lender, and consult a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.