Orange County Housing Program 2026: Down Payment Help for Local Heroes
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Orange County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $172,350.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Orange County
If you work in healthcare, education, public safety or the military and want to buy in Orange County, two separate pots of down payment help can apply to you: the statewide Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program and Orange County's own locally run housing assistance.
Orange County's income limit of $172,350 is shared with 3 other counties; 5 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Orange County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
Income limit (FHA / VA / HFA)
$172,350
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
Orlando
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 $172,350 limit: Lake County, Osceola County, Seminole County.
State help and county help in Orange County: how they differ
Florida Hometown Heroes (state)
Florida Housing lends you 5% of your first mortgage (between $10,000 and $35,000) as a silent second mortgage at 0%. Nothing is due monthly, and it adds nothing to your debt-to-income ratio, but the full amount comes due on sale, refinance or payoff. Read the full Hometown Heroes guide.
Orange County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Orange 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.
Orange County government website · Florida Housing SHIP local contacts
Stacking state and county help is sometimes possible and sometimes not. That is decided case by case before you reserve funds.
Who qualifies in Orange County
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Orange County employers whose staff can qualify include the county school district, the Sheriff's Office, local hospitals and clinics, fire rescue and courts.
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
Orange County is home to Naval Support Activity Orlando (Team Orlando). Active-duty service members, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible.
Where you can use it in Orange County
Any part of Orange County works, including Orlando, Apopka, Christmas, Clarcona, Goldenrod, Gotha, Killarney, as long as you live in the home. Single-family houses, townhomes, approved condos and 2 to 4 unit buildings (you occupy one unit) are all eligible.
Parts of Orange 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 Orange County Property Appraiser.
Orange County housing news
- Orange County invites residents to Monday meeting on new housing plan (WFTV, Oct 4, 2026)
- Orange County to Hold Community Meeting on New Housing Initiative (OCFL Newsroom, Oct 2, 2026)
- In reversal, Orange County backs Tuscana development as costs, wetlands split board (Orlando Sentinel, Oct 1, 2026)
- Orange County applauded on vote that could impact data center and housing project (WJLA, Sep 30, 2026)
Updated Oct 6, 2026.
Orange County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Orange County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Orange County is $172,350 (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 Orange 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 Orange County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Orange County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Orange 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. Orange County sets its own income caps, amounts and repayment terms in its Local Housing Assistance Plan, and funding windows vary.
Does Hometown Heroes cover service members stationed in Orange County?
Yes. Active-duty U.S. military, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible occupations, including personnel at Naval Support Activity Orlando (Team Orlando). Under the TBA option, active-duty members with a current LES are exempt from the first-time buyer requirement, and veterans discharged other than dishonorably (DD214) are exempt too.
What is the maximum Hometown Heroes assistance in Orange County?
Assistance is 5% of your first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. On an FHA loan at Orange County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
Who can help me apply for Hometown Heroes in Orange 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 Orange County limit, and whether Orange 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 Orange County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.