Santa Rosa County Housing Program: Hometown Heroes and Local Down Payment Help
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Santa Rosa County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Santa Rosa County
Buying your first home in Santa Rosa County? If you hold an eligible job, the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program can cover part of your down payment and closing costs, and Santa Rosa County runs its own local program alongside it.
Santa Rosa County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. On an FHA loan at Santa Rosa County's FHA maximum of $541,287, the 5% formula works out to $27,064 of assistance.
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
Milton
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 Santa Rosa 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.
Santa Rosa County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Santa Rosa 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.
Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County buyers
You need a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in one of the program's eligible fields. Typical Santa Rosa 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
Santa Rosa County is home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field. Active-duty service members, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible.
Homes that qualify in Santa Rosa County
Hometown Heroes applies county-wide, from Milton to Bagdad, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Navarre. 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser.
Santa Rosa County housing news
- Traffic concerns drive 3-2 vote against Santa Rosa County subdivision plan (weartv.com, Sep 28, 2026)
Updated Oct 5, 2026.
Santa Rosa County Hometown Heroes questions
What is the Hometown Heroes income limit in Santa Rosa County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Does Santa Rosa County have its own down payment assistance program?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Santa Rosa 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. Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County?
Yes. Active-duty U.S. military, Reserves, Coast Guard and Florida National Guard members are eligible occupations, including personnel at Naval Air Station Whiting Field. 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County limit, and whether Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.