Down Payment Assistance in Putnam County: Hometown Heroes and the County Program
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Putnam County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Putnam County
If you work in healthcare, education, public safety or the military and want to buy in Putnam County, two separate pots of down payment help can apply to you: the statewide Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program and Putnam County's own locally run housing assistance.
Putnam County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. Putnam County's FHA loan ceiling is $541,287; a first mortgage that size would draw $27,064 under the 5% rule.
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
Palatka
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.
State help and county help in Putnam 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.
Putnam County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Each year Florida sends Putnam 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.
Putnam 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 Putnam County
Eligibility starts with your job: full-time work for a Florida-based employer in an approved occupation. Teachers and school staff (Putnam schools), sheriff's deputies and corrections staff (Putnam Sheriff), nurses, paramedics and childcare workers in Putnam County are among the eligible groups.
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 Putnam County
Any part of Putnam County works, including Palatka, Bostwick, Crescent City, East Palatka, Edgar, Florahome, Georgetown, 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.
Some Putnam 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 Putnam County Property Appraiser.
Putnam County housing news
- Over 800 acres in Putnam County permanently conserved via new easement (104.5 WOKV, Sep 6, 2026)
Updated Oct 5, 2026.
Putnam County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Putnam County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Putnam 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.
Is Hometown Heroes in Putnam 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 Putnam County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Putnam County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Putnam 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. Putnam 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 Palatka or elsewhere in Putnam County?
Assistance is 5% of your first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. Putnam County's FHA loan ceiling is $541,287; a first mortgage that size would draw $27,064 under the 5% rule.
How do I start a Hometown Heroes application in Putnam 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 Putnam County limit, and whether Putnam 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 Putnam County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.