Homebuyer Programs in St. Petersburg, FL (2026)
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.
Top Homebuyer 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 $5,000 for closing costs) | Yes | View → |
| SPHA Homeownership Program (HOP) | Grant | Housing Choice Voucher subsidy applied toward monthly mortgage instead of rent | Yes | View → |
| 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 → |
| 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 → |
| 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+ | Forgivable Loan | Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | 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 → |
| 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 → |
| 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 first mortgage loan amount | 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 → |
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $75,000 (20% of sales price plus $5,000 for closing costs)
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Housing Choice Voucher subsidy applied toward monthly mortgage instead of rent
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $75,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- $10,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- 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
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Government Property Sale Program
- Amount:
- 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
- First-time only:
- Yes
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Type:
- Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
- Amount:
- 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
- First-time only:
- No
- 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
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- Affordable home purchase with 0% interest mortgage
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- No down payment, no closing costs, no PMI, no fees, below-market fixed interest rate
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $10,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- 3%, 4%, or 5% of the first mortgage loan amount
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to 5% of first mortgage loan amount, minimum $10,000, maximum $35,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
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.