SHIP/HFA Purchase Assistance (Home Sweet Home Hillsborough)
Taking applicationsHillsborough County (also Brevard, Clay, Duval)
- Amount
- DPA $15,000 in Hillsborough, $5,000 City of Tampa, $15,000 Brevard, $10,000 Duval (per eHousingPlus chart); LHAP allows SHIP awards up to $100,000
- Kind of help
- Deferred loan, due at sale or refinance
- Who it's for
- First-time buyers using the HFA's FHA/VA/USDA first mortgage
- Income cap
- See HFA income limits
- First-timers only
- Yes
- Also note
- Participating lender; homebuyer education; FICO 640
County page says first-time buyers have two DPA options (Home Sweet Home and 'Affordable Income Subsidy Grant'). LHAP 2025-28 strategy 'Purchase Assistance HFA': 0% deferred, 30-year, repaid on sale or payoff of first mortgage. Lock rate 7.125% on eHousingPlus 11/6/2026.
Checked against the official page, November 2026. How we fact-check
Check whether I fitHow Home Sweet Home works
Hillsborough County puts SHIP money into the HFA's purchase-assistance strategy, and the HFA delivers it with the HFA first mortgage through eHousingPlus. Under the County's 2025-28 housing plan the assistance is a 0% deferred second mortgage with a 30-year term, repaid when you sell or pay off the first mortgage. It is not forgiven. The plan allows SHIP awards up to $100,000, but the program chart shows these working amounts:
| Area | Assistance |
|---|
| Hillsborough County | $15,000 |
| City of Tampa | $5,000 |
| Brevard County | $15,000 |
| Duval County | $10,000 |
The posted lock rate on November 6, 2026 was 7.125%.
Who qualifies?
First-time buyers using the HFA's FHA, VA or USDA loan (not conventional), with income under HFA limits, a 640 credit score, homebuyer education and a participating lender. The County page says first-time buyers have two DPA options: Home Sweet Home and an "Affordable Income Subsidy Grant," for which no current program page was found.
Using it with Hometown Heroes, the MCC and Tampa programs
Home Sweet Home rides on the HFA first mortgage, while Hometown Heroes requires a Florida Housing first mortgage, so you choose one. The HFA's MCC is a separate tax credit; a participating lender confirms whether it can be used on the same loan. Inside Tampa, the city's DARE program pays $30,000 to $50,000 and is usually the bigger number to look at first.
How to apply
- Choose a lender approved for the Hillsborough HFA program.
- Confirm your county's amount and income limit.
- Finish homebuyer education.
- Sign a contract; the lender reserves the first and second mortgage together.
Who should look at Home Sweet Home first
The $15,000 amounts in Hillsborough outside Tampa and in Brevard are the strongest use case, especially for buyers who need an FHA, VA or USDA loan and don't qualify for Hometown Heroes through their job. Inside Tampa, the $5,000 figure is small next to DARE, so most city buyers check DARE first and keep Home Sweet Home as a backup. In Duval, $10,000 compares with Jacksonville's H2H, which is subject to funding. Because the money is repaid when you sell or pay off the first mortgage, ask your lender to show it as a lien on your payoff estimate so there are no surprises later.
See the Hillsborough County guide, loan type comparison, or check your eligibility.
Florida counties it covers: Hillsborough County, Brevard County, Duval County.
SHIP/HFA Purchase Assistance (Home Sweet Home Hillsborough): your questions
How much is Home Sweet Home in Hillsborough County?
$15,000 in Hillsborough County outside Tampa, $5,000 in the City of Tampa, $15,000 in Brevard and $10,000 in Duval.
Is Home Sweet Home forgivable?
No. Under the County plan it is a 0% deferred 30-year second mortgage repaid on sale or payoff of the first mortgage.
Can I use a conventional loan?
No. Home Sweet Home is paired with the HFA's FHA, VA or USDA first mortgage.
Find out if I fit this program
Programs to compare
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.
