FL Assist: $10,000 Toward Your Down Payment With No Monthly Payment

FL Assist is the simplest state-level down payment program available — a flat $10,000 that sits behind your first mortgage with zero cost to you until you move on from the home. If you need a straightforward boost to cover your down payment or closing costs, this is it.

How the $10,000 works in practice

Let's say you are purchasing a $320,000 home with an FHA loan (3.5% down):

• Down payment required: $11,200
• FL Assist covers: $10,000 of that
• Your out-of-pocket for down payment: $1,200

The remaining FL Assist funds (if your down payment is less than $10,000) can go toward closing costs. On a $250,000 FHA purchase, your 3.5% down is only $8,750 — so the extra $1,250 helps cover title, appraisal, and prepaid items.

Key program details

• Amount: Up to $10,000
• Type: Deferred second mortgage
• Interest rate: 0%
• Monthly payment: $0
• Forgivable: No — repaid on sale, refi, transfer, or payoff
• Loan types: FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional

2026 eligibility requirements

• First-time buyer: No homeownership in the past 3 years
• Credit score: Varies by first mortgage type (typically 640+ for conventional, 620+ for FHA)
• Income: Within FHFC county limits
• Property: Primary residence in Florida
• Lender: Must use a FL Housing participating lender

Figures are 2026 estimates — your lender confirms current limits and funding availability.

FL Assist vs. other programs

FL Assist is best when you want simplicity and broad loan-type compatibility. Compare:

• Want forgiveness? → HFA Preferred Plus forgives 20%/year
• Want more money? → Hometown Heroes goes up to $35K
• Want the simplest option? → FL Assist is your answer

When FL Assist makes the most sense

FL Assist is the right choice when you want a no-strings, no-payment second mortgage and you plan to use a government-backed loan like FHA or USDA. It is also valuable as a fallback if Hometown Heroes funding runs out — FL Assist uses different state allocations and is often available when bigger programs are tapped.

Related programs

• Hometown Heroes — up to $35K, deferred, 0%
• HFA Preferred Plus — forgivable over 5 years
• FL HLP — $10K with monthly payment at 3%
• County SHIP — local funds, potentially layerable