See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated March 24, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in St. Petersburg, FL (2026)

Population: 265,000 | Median home price: $400,000 | Est. closing costs: $8,000 - $12,000

St. Petersburg is the fifth-largest city in Florida, located on the Pinellas Peninsula along Tampa Bay, with a median home price of approximately $400,000. Homebuyers in St. Petersburg have access to some of the most generous assistance programs in the Tampa Bay area, including the City of St. Petersburg Purchase Assistance Program offering up to $75,000 as a forgivable secondary mortgage and the Pinellas County Down Payment Assistance Program providing up to $75,000 in interest-free deferred loans. The Pinellas County HFA Home Key Plus Program adds $10,000 in deferred DPA, and the Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program provides up to $35,000 at the state level. Buyers purchasing in the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area may benefit from enhanced forgiveness terms. By combining city, county, and state programs, eligible St. Petersburg buyers can potentially access well over $100,000 in total assistance.

City Programs in St. Petersburg

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of St. Petersburg Purchase Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $75,000 (20% of sales price plus up to $5,000 for closing costs; the $5,000 counts within the $75,000 cap)	Yes	View →
SPHA Homeownership Program (HOP)	Grant	Housing Choice Voucher subsidy applied toward monthly mortgage instead of rent	Yes	View →

City of St. Petersburg Purchase Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $75,000 (20% of sales price plus up to $5,000 for closing costs; the $5,000 counts within the $75,000 cap)
First-time only:: Yes

SPHA Homeownership Program (HOP)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Housing Choice Voucher subsidy applied toward monthly mortgage instead of rent
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Pinellas County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Pinellas County Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $75,000	Yes	View →
Pinellas County HFA Home Key Plus Program	Deferred Loan	$10,000	Yes	View →

Pinellas County Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $75,000
First-time only:: Yes

Pinellas County HFA Home Key Plus Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: $10,000
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in Florida

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHLBA Community Partners Product	Forgivable Loan	Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	No	View →
FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product	Forgivable Loan	Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	Yes	View →
FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+	Grant	Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs	No	View →
Florida Assist (FL Assist) Second Mortgage Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $10,000	Yes	View →
Florida HFA Preferred and Advantage PLUS Program	Forgivable Loan	3%, 4%, or 5% of the total first mortgage loan amount (HFA Advantage PLUS TBA, Freddie Mac first mortgage only)	Yes	View →
Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program	Deferred Loan	Up to 5% of first mortgage loan amount, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000	Yes	View →

FHLBA Community Partners Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

Florida Assist (FL Assist) Second Mortgage Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000
First-time only:: Yes

Florida HFA Preferred and Advantage PLUS Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3%, 4%, or 5% of the total first mortgage loan amount (HFA Advantage PLUS TBA, Freddie Mac first mortgage only)
First-time only:: Yes

Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to 5% of first mortgage loan amount, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000
First-time only:: Yes

Federal Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHA Loans	Government-Insured Mortgage	Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)	No	View →
Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)	Government Property Sale Program	50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes	Yes	View →
Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HUD $100 Down Program	FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase	Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.	No	View →
USDA Rural Development Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value	No	View →
VA Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)	No	View →

FHA Loans

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HUD $100 Down Program

Type:: FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase
Amount:: Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.
First-time only:: No

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Nonprofit Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable home purchase with 0% interest mortgage	No	View →
NACA Purchase Program (St. Petersburg)	Grant	No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate	No	View →

Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable home purchase with 0% interest mortgage
First-time only:: No

NACA Purchase Program (St. Petersburg)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate
First-time only:: No

Free eligibility check

19 programs available in St. Petersburg. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Review income limits for the programs you are interested in. The Pinellas County DPA program requires individual income below $58,450 or family-of-four income below $83,450. The City of St. Petersburg program serves households up to 140% AMI, with enhanced terms for buyers at or below 80% AMI.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. An 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education course is required for most St. Petersburg programs. Contact Neighborhood Home Solutions (NHS) at 727-821-6897 for free homebuyer training. A completion certificate is required for down payment assistance.

Step 3: Contact a local housing partner. For the City of St. Petersburg program, call (727) 893-7247 or (727) 892-5572. For Pinellas County programs, contact the Community Development office. The Pinellas County HFA maintains an Approved Lender List on their website.

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Work with a participating lender approved by the program you are applying for. The Pinellas County HFA Home Key Plus program requires a minimum 660 FICO score. Your lender submits the application on your behalf for the City of St. Petersburg program.

Step 5: Find a home within program guidelines. Both the city and county programs have a purchase price limit of $544,233. The property must pass a HUD housing quality inspection for the county program. For the city program, a licensed home inspection with all deficiencies cured is required.

Step 6: Submit your application. You must contribute 1% of the sales price for the city program or $1,000 minimum for the HFA program. Liquid assets cannot exceed $50,000 for the county DPA program. Check current program availability, as SHIP-funded city assistance may have limited funds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in St. Petersburg?+

St. Petersburg buyers can access exceptional assistance by combining programs. The City of St. Petersburg Purchase Assistance Program offers up to $75,000 as a forgivable 0% interest secondary mortgage. The Pinellas County DPA Program provides up to $75,000 as an interest-free deferred loan. The Pinellas County HFA Home Key Plus adds $10,000 in deferred DPA. At the state level, the Florida Hometown Heroes program offers up to $35,000. Not all programs can be combined, so work with a participating lender and housing counselor to determine the best options for your situation.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify?+

Most St. Petersburg programs require first-time buyer status, generally defined as not having owned a home in the past 3 years. The City of St. Petersburg Purchase Assistance, Pinellas County DPA, and the HFA Home Key Plus all require first-time buyer status. The HFA program also extends eligibility to veterans regardless of prior ownership. NACA and Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside do not require first-time buyer status.

What are the special benefits for buying in South St. Petersburg?+

Buyers purchasing within the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) receive enhanced terms on the City of St. Petersburg Purchase Assistance Program. Specifically, buyers earning 80-120% AMI in the CRA receive 100% loan forgiveness after 10 years of occupancy, the same terms as lower-income buyers citywide. Additionally, the CRA-funded portion of the program remains active and accepting applications even when SHIP-funded citywide assistance is limited.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most St. Petersburg programs require an 8-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education course and a completion certificate. Neighborhood Home Solutions (NHS) offers free homebuyer training in St. Petersburg and can be reached at 727-821-6897. A certificate from this training is required for down payment assistance programs. NACA offers its own free homebuyer workshop as well.

Is the City of St. Petersburg program currently accepting applications?+

The SHIP-funded citywide Purchase Assistance Program currently has very limited funding and is not accepting new applications citywide. However, the CRA-funded Purchase Assistance Program for the South St. Petersburg Community Redevelopment Area remains active and is accepting applications. Contact the City of St. Petersburg Housing department at (727) 893-7247 for the latest status. The Pinellas County DPA program reopened December 1, 2025 and is actively accepting applications as an alternative.

Can I use NACA in St. Petersburg for a no-down-payment mortgage?+

Yes. NACA is active in the Tampa Bay area, including St. Petersburg, and offers mortgages with no down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, and no fees at below-market fixed interest rates. Priority members with income below 100% of the Tampa Bay area median income can purchase anywhere. Non-priority members must purchase in designated census tracts. Attend a free NACA Homebuyer Workshop to get started. Annual membership is $36.