Down Payment Assistance in Leon County: Hometown Heroes and the County Program
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Leon County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $149,250.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Leon County
Leon County home buyers who serve their community, from nurses in Tallahassee to deputies and teachers across the county, can look at two kinds of help: the state's Hometown Heroes program and the county's own down payment assistance.
Leon County's income limit of $149,250 is shared with 2 other counties; 31 counties have a higher limit. Run the numbers at the Leon County FHA limit ($541,287) and Hometown Heroes would provide $27,064.
Income limit (FHA / VA / HFA)
$149,250
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
Tallahassee
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 $149,250 limit: Gadsden County, Jefferson County.
Two sources of down payment help in Leon County
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
Statewide and run by Florida Housing Finance Corporation. You borrow 5% of the first mortgage at 0% interest, make no payments, and repay the whole balance later, when you sell or refinance. It is never forgiven, and money is reserved first come, first served. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Leon County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Each year Florida sends Leon County a share of State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) funds, at least $350,000. The county's housing office writes its own Local Housing Assistance Plan, which sets who qualifies, how much is offered and whether that help is forgiven over time.
Leon County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Whether the two can be combined depends on both programs' rules at the time you apply. A participating lender confirms before funds are reserved.
Hometown Heroes jobs in Leon County
Hometown Heroes is for full-time employees of Florida-based employers in eligible occupations. In Leon County, that includes staff of the Leon County school district and deputies and detention staff at the Leon 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 Leon County
There is no neighborhood restriction inside Leon County: Tallahassee, Woodville and unincorporated areas all qualify. It has to be your primary residence, and manufactured homes must be 1994 or newer.
Parts of Leon 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 Leon County Property Appraiser.
Leon County housing news
- Tallahassee Veterans Village shifts to 90-day housing model as VA program transitions (WTXL ABC 27, Sep 30, 2026)
- Why Leon County job reports show different results (Tallahassee Democrat, Sep 25, 2026)
- Leon County commissioners seek state, federal help amid potential property tax shortfall (WTXL ABC 27, Sep 22, 2026)
- Tallahassee city commissioners to vote on historical marker honoring community housing activist (WCTV, Sep 22, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Leon County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Leon County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Leon County is $149,250 (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 Leon 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 Leon County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Leon County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Leon 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. Leon County sets its own income caps, amounts and repayment terms in its Local Housing Assistance Plan, and funding windows vary.
What is the maximum Hometown Heroes assistance in Leon 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 Leon County FHA limit ($541,287) and Hometown Heroes would provide $27,064.
Who can help me apply for Hometown Heroes in Leon 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 Leon County limit, and whether Leon 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 Leon County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.