Nassau County Housing Program 2026: Down Payment Help for Local Heroes
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Nassau County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $163,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Nassau County
Nassau County home buyers who serve their community, from nurses in Fernandina Beach 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.
Nassau County's income limit of $163,050 is shared with 3 other counties; 16 counties have a higher limit. Run the numbers at the Nassau County FHA limit ($580,750) and Hometown Heroes would provide $29,037.
Income limit (FHA / VA / HFA)
$163,050
Income limit (USDA)
$119,850
Max loan, FHA
$580,750
Max loan, HFA / VA
$832,750
Hometown Heroes help
5% of first mortgage, $10,000 to $35,000
County seat
Fernandina Beach
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 $163,050 limit: Clay County, Duval County, St. Johns County.
Two sources of down payment help in Nassau 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.
Nassau County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Nassau 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.
Nassau 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 Nassau County
Hometown Heroes is for full-time employees of Florida-based employers in eligible occupations. In Nassau County, that includes staff of the Nassau County school district and deputies and detention staff at the Nassau 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
Buying a home in Fernandina Beach and across Nassau County
There is no neighborhood restriction inside Nassau County: Fernandina Beach, Bryceville, Callahan, Hilliard, Yulee and unincorporated areas all qualify. It has to be your primary residence, and manufactured homes must be 1994 or newer.
Some Nassau 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 Nassau County Property Appraiser.
Nassau County housing news
- Nassau insurance broker William Bonomo accused of stealing more than $200,000 in COVID relief (Newsday, Sep 18, 2026)
- Nassau County honors the volunteer firefighters lost on 9/11 with new tribute (Herald Community Newspapers, Sep 10, 2026)
- What is the unemployment rate in Nassau County, FL right now? (USAFacts, Sep 8, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Nassau County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Nassau County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Nassau County is $163,050 (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 Nassau 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 Nassau County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Nassau County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Nassau 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. Nassau 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 Fernandina Beach or elsewhere in Nassau 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 Nassau County FHA limit ($580,750) and Hometown Heroes would provide $29,037.
How do I start a Hometown Heroes application in Nassau 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 Nassau County limit, and whether Nassau 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 Nassau County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.