Down Payment Assistance in Levy County: Hometown Heroes and the County Program
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Levy County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Levy County
Buying your first home in Levy County? If you hold an eligible job, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program can cover part of your down payment and closing costs, and Levy County runs its own local program alongside it.
Levy County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. Run the numbers at the Levy 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
Bronson
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 Levy 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.
Levy County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Each year Florida sends Levy 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.
Levy 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 Levy County buyers
Hometown Heroes is for full-time employees of Florida-based employers in eligible occupations. In Levy County, that includes staff of the Levy County school district and deputies and detention staff at the Levy 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 Levy County
Hometown Heroes applies county-wide, from Bronson to Cedar Key, Chiefland, Gulf Hammock, Inglis, Morriston, Otter Creek. 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.
Parts of Levy 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 Levy County Property Appraiser.
Levy County housing news
- Duke Energy grants $326,500 to boost Florida's economy (Duke Energy | News Center, Sep 30, 2026)
Updated Oct 5, 2026.
Levy County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Levy County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Levy 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.
Do I have to pay back Hometown Heroes assistance in Levy 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 Levy County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Levy County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Levy 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. Levy 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 Levy 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 Levy County FHA limit ($541,287) and Hometown Heroes would provide $27,064.
Who can help me apply for Hometown Heroes in Levy 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 Levy County limit, and whether Levy 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 Levy County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.