Marion County Housing Program: Hometown Heroes and Local Down Payment Help
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Marion County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Marion County
Buying your first home in Marion County? If you hold an eligible job, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program can cover part of your down payment and closing costs, and Marion County runs its own local program alongside it.
Marion County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. Run the numbers at the Marion 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
Ocala
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 Marion 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.
Marion County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Each year Florida sends Marion 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.
Marion 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 Marion County buyers
Hometown Heroes is for full-time employees of Florida-based employers in eligible occupations. In Marion County, that includes staff of the Marion County school district and deputies and detention staff at the Marion 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
Homes that qualify in Marion County
Hometown Heroes applies county-wide, from Ocala to Anthony, Belleview, Candler, Citra, Dunnellon, Eastlake Weir. 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 Marion 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 Marion County Property Appraiser.
Marion County housing news
- Cammack secures housing funds for Gainesville, Ocala veterans (Yahoo, Oct 2, 2026)
- 2 injured in dog attack in Ocklawaha, Marion County firefighters say (WCJB | TV20, Sep 28, 2026)
- City celebrates rebuilt west Ocala home for family as part of housing services program (Ocala-News.com, Sep 25, 2026)
- Workers drive bridge foundation piles for new I-75 exit in Marion County (WCJB | TV20, Sep 18, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Marion County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Marion County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Marion County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Marion 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. Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion County FHA limit ($541,287) and Hometown Heroes would provide $27,064.
Who can help me apply for Hometown Heroes in Marion 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 Marion County limit, and whether Marion 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 Marion County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.