Down Payment Assistance in Hillsborough County: Hometown Heroes and the County Program
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Hillsborough County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $172,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Hillsborough County
If you work in healthcare, education, public safety or the military and want to buy in Hillsborough County, two separate pots of down payment help can apply to you: the statewide Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program and Hillsborough County's own locally run housing assistance.
Hillsborough County's income limit of $172,050 is shared with 3 other counties; 9 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Hillsborough County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
Income limit (FHA / VA / HFA)
$172,050
Income limit (USDA)
$119,850
Max loan, FHA
$541,287
Max loan, HFA / VA
$832,750
Hometown Heroes help
5% of first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000
County seat
Tampa
Income limits: TBA funding option, effective May 6, 2026. Loan limits effective Jan 2, 2026. Source: Florida Housing Finance Corporation Hometown Heroes lender guide. Bond-funded limits may differ.
Same $172,050 limit: Hernando County, Pasco County, Pinellas County.
State help and county help in Hillsborough County: how they differ
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
Florida Housing lends you 5% of your first mortgage (between $10,000 and $35,000) as a silent second mortgage at 0%. Nothing is due monthly, and it adds nothing to your debt-to-income ratio, but the full amount comes due on sale, refinance or payoff. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Hillsborough County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Hillsborough County's local program is funded by the state SHIP trust fund but run by the county. Its rules, including income limits, award size and repayment, come from the county's Local Housing Assistance Plan and can change when new funding years open.
Hillsborough County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Stacking state and county help is sometimes possible and sometimes not. That is decided case by case before you reserve funds.
Who qualifies in Hillsborough County
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Hillsborough County employers whose staff can qualify include the county school district, the Sheriff's Office, local hospitals and clinics, fire rescue and courts.
We have dedicated mortgage guides for many of these jobs:
- Healthcare: mortgage options for physicians and doctors
- Healthcare: mortgage options for nurses and medical professionals
- Public safety: mortgage options for corrections officers
- Public safety: mortgage options for police officers
- First responders: mortgage options for firefighters
- First responders: mortgage options for EMTs and paramedics
- Education: mortgage options for teachers and school staff
- Military: mortgage options for active-duty military and veterans
Hillsborough County is home to MacDill Air Force Base (CENTCOM & SOCOM). Active-duty service members, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible.
Homes that qualify in Hillsborough County
Any part of Hillsborough County works, including Tampa, Apollo Beach, Balm, Brandon, Dover, Durant, Gibsonton, as long as you live in the home. Single-family houses, townhomes, approved condos and 2 to 4 unit buildings (you occupy one unit) are all eligible.
Parts of Hillsborough County fall inside USDA-eligible areas, so a USDA first mortgage (zero down) can be paired with Hometown Heroes for qualifying addresses. The USDA income limit here is $119,850.
Check property records and taxes with the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser.
Hillsborough County housing news
- Top industries and employers in the Tampa Bay area (6AM City, Sep 30, 2026)
- Tampa Rent vs Buy Gap Hits $1,100 a Month, Zillow Finds (Hoodline, Sep 25, 2026)
- Hillsborough County families can apply for these funds to repair their homes (wtsp.com, Sep 16, 2026)
- Hillsborough school district, teachers union reach tentative benefits deal (Tampa Bay Times, Sep 14, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Hillsborough County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Hillsborough County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Hillsborough County is $172,050 (TBA funding, effective May 6, 2026). For USDA loans it is $119,850. Under the TBA option, only the income of borrowers on the loan is counted, not the whole household.
Do I have to pay back Hometown Heroes assistance in Hillsborough County?
It is not a grant. Hometown Heroes is a 0% interest, deferred second mortgage with no monthly payment. It is repaid in full on sale, transfer of deed, satisfaction of first mortgage, refinance of first mortgage, or if the home stops being your primary residence. Local programs funded through Hillsborough County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Hillsborough County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Hillsborough County, receives state SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) funds, a minimum of $350,000 a year, and can use them for down payment and closing cost help. Hillsborough County sets its own income caps, amounts and repayment terms in its Local Housing Assistance Plan, and funding windows vary.
Does Hometown Heroes cover service members stationed in Hillsborough County?
Yes. Active-duty U.S. military, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible occupations, including personnel at MacDill Air Force Base (CENTCOM & SOCOM). Under the TBA option, active-duty members with a current LES are exempt from the first-time buyer requirement, and veterans discharged other than dishonorably (DD214) are exempt too.
What is the maximum Hometown Heroes assistance in Hillsborough County?
Assistance is 5% of your first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. On an FHA loan at Hillsborough County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
Who can help me apply for Hometown Heroes in Hillsborough County?
Hometown Heroes is reserved through Florida Housing–approved participating lenders, first come, first served. Stairway Mortgage (Jim Blackburn, NMLS #1072866) can review your occupation, income against the Hillsborough County limit, and whether Hillsborough County's local program fits alongside it.
Jim Blackburn, NMLS #1072866 · Stairway Mortgage. Program terms, limits and funding availability are set by Florida Housing Finance Corporation and Hillsborough County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.