Down Payment Assistance in Lafayette County: Hometown Heroes and the County Program
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Lafayette County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Lafayette County
Buying your first home in Lafayette County? If you hold an eligible job, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program can cover part of your down payment and closing costs, and Lafayette County runs its own local program alongside it.
Lafayette County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. Run the numbers at the Lafayette County FHA limit ($541,287) and Hometown Heroes would provide $27,064.
Income limit (FHA / VA / HFA)
$148,050
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
Mayo
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 $148,050 limit: Bradford County, Calhoun County, Charlotte County, Citrus County and 26 more.
Hometown Heroes vs. the Lafayette County housing program
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
A 0% interest deferred second mortgage worth 5% of your first mortgage, with no monthly payment. It is not forgiven: you repay it when you sell, refinance, pay off the first mortgage or move out. Funding is first come, first served through approved lenders. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Lafayette County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Lafayette 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.
Lafayette County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Some buyers use both; others qualify for only one. The lender checks layering rules before anything is reserved.
Eligible jobs for Lafayette County buyers
Hometown Heroes is for full-time employees of Florida-based employers in eligible occupations. In Lafayette County, that includes staff of the Lafayette County school district and deputies and detention staff at the Lafayette County Sheriff's Office, along with hospital, fire rescue and licensed childcare workers.
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
Where you can use it in Lafayette County
Hometown Heroes applies county-wide, from Mayo to Day. The home must be your primary residence: single-family, townhome, eligible condo, or a 2 to 4 unit property where you live in one unit.
Some Lafayette County addresses are USDA-eligible. There, a zero-down USDA loan plus Hometown Heroes can cover most of the cash needed at closing, with a $119,850 USDA income limit.
Check property records and taxes with the Lafayette County Property Appraiser.
Lafayette County housing news
- Duke Energy grants $326,500 to boost Florida's economy (PR Newswire, Sep 30, 2026)
Updated Oct 4, 2026.
Lafayette County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Lafayette County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Lafayette County is $148,050 (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.
Is Hometown Heroes in Lafayette County a grant?
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 Lafayette County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Lafayette County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Lafayette 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. Lafayette County sets its own income caps, amounts and repayment terms in its Local Housing Assistance Plan, and funding windows vary.
How much Hometown Heroes help can I get buying in Mayo or elsewhere in Lafayette County?
Assistance is 5% of your first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. Run the numbers at the Lafayette County FHA limit ($541,287) and Hometown Heroes would provide $27,064.
How do I start a Hometown Heroes application in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County limit, and whether Lafayette 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 Lafayette County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.