The City of West Palm Beach's housing plan allows up to $100,000 in forgivable purchase help for very low, low and moderate income buyers in the city. Status: funding-dependent and not confirmed. Call City Housing & Community Development to confirm money is available before you go under contract.
Home Purchase Assistance Strategy (SHIP LHAP)
Limited funds
City of West Palm Beach
Amount
Up to $100,000 (repairs capped at $25,000)
Kind of help
Forgivable second loan
Who it's for
Very low, low and moderate income buyers in the city
Also note
Per FHFC-approved LHAP 2024-27
0% deferred loan forgiven pro rata; term 5 yrs (<$15k), 10 yrs ($15k-$40k), 15 yrs (>$40k). Verified only from the LHAP filed with Florida Housing; current open/closed status not confirmed.
Want a heads-up? Home Purchase Assistance Strategy (SHIP LHAP) draws from a limited pot that can empty out. We'll tell you when a new round is funded.
Is it accepting applications?
We could not confirm. The terms below come from the Local Housing Assistance Plan (2024-27) the City filed with Florida Housing, not from a live City application page. SHIP money arrives each year from the state, and Orange County reported this fall that the State had not yet disbursed FY 2026-27 SHIP funds; other local governments may face the same delay. Treat this as a program to ask about, not one to plan a closing date around.
How the assistance works
The plan sets a maximum of $100,000, of which up to $25,000 can go to repairs. It is a 0% deferred loan forgiven pro rata over a term tied to the amount:
Award
Forgiveness term
Under $15,000
5 years
$15,000 to $40,000
10 years
Over $40,000
15 years
Pro rata means a slice is forgiven each year you live there, so leaving early means repaying only the unforgiven part.
Who qualifies?
Very low, low and moderate income households buying in West Palm Beach city limits. The plan summary reviewed here does not list exact income caps, a price limit or a first-time rule; the City applies the plan's definitions. Palm Beach County's own SHIP purchase program is closed (it hit its 100-application limit in 2025), so the City plan and the OAHO second mortgage are the main local options to check.
Using it with Hometown Heroes, and how to apply
Hometown Heroes allows another agency's stand-alone assistance in third position; a participating lender confirms whether the City accepts that. To start: call the City's Housing & Community Development office, ask whether purchase assistance is funded now, get the current income chart, and complete homebuyer education while you wait.
Questions for the City
Is purchase assistance funded for the current fiscal year, and is there a waiting list?
What are this year's income limits by household size, and is there a price cap?
Does the program require a first-time buyer, and what homebuyer education counts?
How are repair dollars (up to $25,000) handled if the home needs work?
How long does approval take, and when can you safely sign a contract?
Write the answers down with the staff member's name and the date; SHIP rules change between plan years.
Our summary of the official program page as of November 2026. Funding and terms change; get the current version from the program or a participating lender. Florida Down Payment Assistance has no tie to this program.
Saved. Watch your phone and inbox.
When this program restarts, you'll be among the first to know. Meanwhile, want to see what's open today?
Hi, I'm Lisa. See if you're eligible for down payment assistance in Florida. I'll walk you through six quick questions, and you'll see your result before you leave the page.
