Union County Housing Program: Hometown Heroes and Local Down Payment Help
Up to $35,000 from the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program, plus Union County's own county assistance. Income limit here: $148,050.
Hometown Heroes › County Housing Programs › Union County
Union County home buyers who serve their community, from nurses in Lake Butler 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.
Union County's income limit of $148,050 is shared with 30 other counties; 36 counties have a higher limit. Union 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
Lake Butler
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.
Two sources of down payment help in Union 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.
Union County local assistance (SHIP-funded)
Each year Florida sends Union 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.
Union 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 Union County
Eligibility starts with your job: full-time work for a Florida-based employer in an approved occupation. Teachers and school staff (Union schools), sheriff's deputies and corrections staff (Union Sheriff), nurses, paramedics and childcare workers in Union 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 Union County
There is no neighborhood restriction inside Union County: Lake Butler, Raiford, Worthington Springs and unincorporated areas all qualify. It has to be your primary residence, and manufactured homes must be 1994 or newer.
Some Union 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 Union County Property Appraiser.
Union County housing news
- What is the gross domestic product (GDP) in Union County, FL? (USAFacts, Sep 8, 2026)
Updated Oct 5, 2026.
Union County Hometown Heroes questions
How much can I earn and still qualify for Hometown Heroes in Union County?
For FHA, VA and conventional HFA loans, the 2026 Hometown Heroes income limit in Union 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 Union 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 Union County's SHIP allocation can be structured differently, which is why it pays to compare both.
Is there a Union County housing program separate from Hometown Heroes?
Yes. Every Florida county, including Union 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. Union 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 Lake Butler or elsewhere in Union County?
Assistance is 5% of your first mortgage amount, with a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $35,000. Union 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 Union 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 Union County limit, and whether Union 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 Union County and can change. Estimates are not a commitment to lend. Equal Housing Opportunity.