--- title: "Hometown Heroes Program Port St. Lucie | Up to $35,000 Down Payment Help" url: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/hometown-heroes-port-st-lucie description: "Teachers, nurses, first responders and other Florida workers may get up to $35,000 toward a Port St. Lucie home. See who qualifies and how to start." lang: en --- Image: Illustrative portraits of a nurse, teacher, firefighter, police officer and service member in their workplaces (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/hometown-heroes-collage-kF_46lxB.jpg) All Guides: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/guides Florida Hometown Heroes Program # Florida Hometown Heroes for Port St. Lucie Homebuyers You take care of our community. Let us help you own a home in it. Up to $35,000 toward your down payment and closing costs. This program applies to homes purchased in Florida. Am I a Hometown Hero?Talk to Pete & Kate - Healthcare - Schools - First Responders - Public Safety - Courts - Childcare - Military & Veterans 2026-27 funding opened July 13, 2026. Funds are first come, first served and have run out early in past years. Last updated: October 2026 Explore All Treasure Coast Homebuyer Programs (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/homebuyer-assistance-programs) ## Who Are Hometown Heroes? Eligibility is based on where you work, not just your job title. If you work full time at one of these Florida employers, you may qualify. ### Healthcare Nurses (RN, LPN, CNA), physicians, therapists, technicians, pharmacists, mental health professionals, and other staff at qualifying hospitals and healthcare facilities ### School Staff (K-12) Teachers, principals, counselors, librarians, teacher aides, cafeteria staff, and maintenance staff ### First Responders Firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics ### Public Safety Law enforcement officers, correctional officers, probation officers, and 911 dispatchers ### Court Employees Court clerks, court reporters, assistant state attorneys, and assistant public defenders ### Childcare Workers Anyone working at a licensed Florida childcare facility or registered home daycare ### Military & Veterans Active duty, reserves, Coast Guard, and Florida National Guard. Veterans qualify working full time for any Florida-based employer. Image: Illustrative teacher and nurse together on a palm-lined Florida neighborhood sidewalk (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/hometown-heroes-tribute-o1L6Wtl8.jpg) ## Thank You for Serving Pete & Kate are proud to help the teachers, nurses, first responders and service members who keep the Treasure Coast running. It would be an honor to help you find your home. Start the Conversation ## How it works ### Up to $35,000 5% of your first mortgage, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000 ### 0% interest No monthly payment on the assistance loan. Image: Illustrative light coastal Florida home with sage shutters, a covered porch and palms (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/coastal-home-l_A6wcCz.jpg) ### Not a grant It is a second mortgage repaid when you sell, refinance, pay off the loan, or move out. Image: Illustrative airy coastal living room opening onto a sunny palm-lined terrace (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/coastal-interior-DiLW8bEc.jpg) ### Approved lenders Works with FHA, VA, USDA and conventional loans through approved lenders. Image: Illustrative family walking along a sunny palm-lined Florida residential street (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/assets/palm-street-8nqMEOzX.jpg) ## Hero Checklist - First-time homebuyer (veterans are exempt) - Full-time employee of a Florida-based employer - Meet the St. Lucie County income limit - Minimum 640 credit score - Home will be your primary residence Many more job types qualify than people expect. Ask us or your lender. ## St. Lucie County numbers Income limit, 1-2 person household $114,856 Income limit, 3+ person household $132,085 Purchase price limit $631,710 Limits change. Confirm current figures with a participating lender. Image: Illustrative Florida lagoon waterfront with a boardwalk, palms and coastal homes (https://www.petekaterealestate.com/__l5e/assets-v1/e7cdbd0a-e208-44a4-ae02-f286bafb3566/waterfront-1536-optimized.webp) ## Step by step 1. Get pre-approved with a Florida Housing participating lender 2. Confirm eligibility and income 3. Find your Port St. Lucie home with Pete & Kate 4. Get under contract; your lender reserves the funds 5. Close and move in ## Avoid scams There is no fee to apply for Hometown Heroes. Anyone charging you for access is not legitimate. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Hometown Heroes a grant? ### Do I have to work in Port St. Lucie? ### Can veterans use it if they have owned before? ### Can I use it on new construction? ### How do I apply? ## Questions about buying on the Treasure Coast? Call Pete or Kate Call Pete: +17722841419 Call Kate: +17723424006 Contact: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/contact ## Related Guides New Construction Buying Process: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/guides/new-construction-buying-process Property Taxes: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/guides/property-taxes Selling Your Home, Step by Step: https://www.petekaterealestate.com/guides/selling-your-home-step-by-step ## Ready to use your Hero benefit? Let's find your home. Talk to Peter and Kate. Peter White 772-284-1419: +17722841419 Kate Ward 772-342-4006: +17723424006 REMAX Gold Program terms, limits and funding are set by Florida Housing Finance Corporation and may change at any time. Pete & Kate are Realtors, not lenders. Confirm details with a participating lender. Eligible occupations are set by Florida Housing and may change. Confirm your eligibility with a participating lender. Call Us (+17722841419) ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "RealEstateAgent", "name": "Pete & Kate Real Estate", "url": "https://petekaterealestate.com", "telephone": "+1-772-284-1419", "description": "Kate Ward and Peter White, REALTORS with The McKinney Team at REMAX Gold. Buying, selling, relocation and new construction on Florida's Treasure Coast.", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressRegion": "FL", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Vero Beach, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Port St. Lucie, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Fort Pierce, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Sebastian, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Stuart, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Jensen Beach, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Palm City, Florida" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Hobe Sound, Florida" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "Pete & Kate Real Estate", "url": "https://petekaterealestate.com" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Hometown Heroes a grant?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. It is a 0% deferred second mortgage repaid when you sell or refinance." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I have to work in Port St. Lucie?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "You must work full time for an employer with a physical Florida address." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can veterans use it if they have owned before?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, veterans do not have to be first-time buyers." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use it on new construction?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, if the home meets the price limit and you meet all other requirements." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How do I apply?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Through a participating lender, not directly through the state." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Buy", "item": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/buy" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hometown Heroes Program", "item": "https://www.petekaterealestate.com/hometown-heroes-port-st-lucie" } ] } ] ```