How Broward County purchase assistance works
Broward County's Homebuyer Purchase Assistance program, often called HPA, is structured as a 0 percent deferred loan with a 15-year term and no monthly payment. Under the 2022 county guidelines, the loan is satisfied after 15 years of primary-residence occupancy. That structure is different from a forgivable loan that disappears on a schedule and different again from an amortizing loan with a monthly payment. A Broward buyer should therefore read the HPA terms as a long occupancy commitment: the benefit is the absence of a monthly payment on the assistance loan, and the condition is staying in the home as a primary residence for the full term. Selling, moving out, or changing the use of the home before that point can change what is owed, so the exact satisfaction and repayment language for the buyer's funding source should be confirmed before closing.
The dollar cap is the part of Broward HPA that buyers most often misunderstand, because there is no single countywide number that applies to every city. The cap varies by city and by funding source, which means two buyers in different Broward cities, or buyers using different funding sources in the same city, can face different maximum amounts. One FY 2024-25 SHIP record showed up to $80,000 per household, but that record should be treated as an example from that funding year and source, not as a standing countywide cap. This page deliberately does not publish a single Broward cap, because publishing one would mislead buyers whose city or funding source carries a different limit. The reliable number is the one the county program or a participating lender confirms for the buyer's city and funding source at the time of application.
Broward's size and variety also affect how buyers should use this program. The county includes coastal cities, inland suburbs, and a wide range of housing types, from condominiums to single-family homes, and program availability can differ by location and by the home being purchased. A buyer should ask early whether the home type, the city, and the first mortgage lender all fit the program, rather than assuming county assistance follows the buyer anywhere in Broward. Instant Money Mortgage, brokered by Complete Mortgage LLC, can help a buyer check that fit, but the county program remains the authority on city caps, funding availability, and current eligibility rules. Where a term cannot be verified from a current county source, the buyer should get it directly from the county program.
State programs that may sit alongside county help
For a Broward buyer, the state layer starts with Florida Hometown Heroes, and it has to be read next to HPA rather than instead of it. The program offers up to 5 percent of the first mortgage, with a maximum of $35,000 and a minimum of $10,000. Its shape is a 0 percent, non-amortizing, 30-year deferred second mortgage, which means the buyer makes no monthly payment on it during the term, but the entire balance comes due on sale, refinance, transfer of deed, or if the home is no longer a primary residence. It is explicitly not forgivable, so unlike a loan that is satisfied by staying put, this one waits for a trigger event and then must be repaid in full. It pairs with FHA, VA, USDA-RD, and conventional first mortgages. Access is limited to first-time, income-qualified buyers employed full time by a Florida-based employer in categories including health care, school staff, first responders, public safety and court staff, and child care, plus servicemembers and veterans employed full time by a Florida-based employer. A Broward buyer who fits one of those categories should run Hometown Heroes and HPA side by side, keeping each program's repayment trigger in its own column.
State assistance beyond Hometown Heroes comes in three different shapes, and a Broward stack has to respect each one. Florida Assist is listed at up to $10,000. It is a 0 percent deferred second mortgage that requires no monthly payment, and its primary-verified pairing reaches only FHA, VA, and USDA-RD first mortgages, so it cannot simply be added to any first mortgage a buyer prefers. HFA PLUS is listed as a forgivable second mortgage at 3 percent, 4 percent, or 5 percent, forgiven 20 percent per year over 5 years, which rewards staying in place on a fixed schedule. Florida HLP is listed at up to $12,500 as an amortizing 3 percent second mortgage with a monthly payment, so it raises the monthly budget in a way the deferred options do not. Stacking in Broward therefore depends on program rules and first mortgage lender approval, and the buyer should ask a participating lender to confirm in writing that the chosen first mortgage, the county assistance, and any state assistance can close together.
How to confirm your city and your cap
The practical sequence for a Broward buyer starts with the city, not with a headline amount. First, identify the city where you plan to buy and ask the county program which funding sources are active for that city and what cap applies to each. Second, confirm the first mortgage type you plan to use and whether the county program and any state program both pair with it. Third, confirm occupancy, ownership, and repayment language for each assistance loan, including what happens on sale, refinance, or a move. Fourth, ask whether homebuyer education or counseling is required for your specific funding source, since requirements can differ by program. Taking those four steps before making an offer avoids a common failure: an offer priced around assistance that the buyer's city, lender, or loan type cannot support.
Timing matters as well. County programs can have application steps, document reviews, and lender coordination that take longer than a standard purchase without assistance, and funding availability can change. A buyer with a tight contract deadline should ask the county program and the lender for a realistic timeline for the assistance piece, not just for the first mortgage, and should build that timeline into the offer. If current terms for a city or funding source cannot be verified, treat that as a reason to confirm directly with the county program rather than as a reason to guess. A verified cap and a confirmed timeline are worth more than a fast answer that turns out to be wrong.
- Confirm the HPA cap for your specific city and funding source
- Confirm that your first mortgage type pairs with each assistance program
- Confirm occupancy and repayment terms for every assistance loan
- Ask the county program for a realistic assistance timeline before you offer
Broward caps vary by city and funding source. Confirm the current cap for your city with the county program or a participating lender.
More in this series
- First-Time Homebuyers in Florida: Programs, Assistance, and First Steps
- Palm Beach County Down Payment Assistance
- Miami-Dade County Down Payment Assistance
- First-Time Homebuyer in Miami, FL
- First-Time Homebuyer in Fort Lauderdale, FL
- First-Time Homebuyer in West Palm Beach, FL
- Florida Hometown Heroes Guide
- Florida Assist Guide
- HFA Preferred Florida Guide
- Salute Our Soldiers Florida Guide
- Can DPA Programs Be Stacked?
- DPA Qualifications and Income Limits in Florida
- Does Hometown Heroes Have to Be Repaid?
- Hometown Heroes Teacher and Nurse Eligibility
- DPA with FHA, VA, and USDA
- DPA with a 580 to 640 Credit Score
- Credit Score to Buy a House in Florida
- How Much Down Payment Assistance in Florida?
- How Long Does Preapproval Take?
- Why Instant Money Mortgage
Related loan programs
First-Time Homebuyer Loans
First-time homebuyer loans are mortgage options with low down payments, typically 3% conventional, 3.5% FHA or $0 VA, often paired with state or local down payment assistance.
FHA Loans
An FHA loan is a government-insured mortgage that allows 3.5% down with a credit score of 580 or higher, or 10% down with a score from 500 to 579.
VA Loans
A VA loan is a mortgage guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that lets eligible veterans, active-duty service members and certain surviving spouses buy with no down payment and no monthly mortgage insurance.
Conventional Loans
A conventional loan is a mortgage not insured by the government that follows Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guidelines.
Related answers
- Can down payment assistance programs be stacked in Florida?
- What are the qualifications and income limits for Florida down payment assistance?
- How much down payment assistance can I get in Florida?
- How long does pre-approval take?
See also
Frequently asked questions
What is Broward County HPA?
Broward County Homebuyer Purchase Assistance is a 0 percent deferred loan with a 15-year term and no monthly payment, satisfied after 15 years of primary-residence occupancy under 2022 county guidelines.
What is the Broward County down payment assistance cap?
The cap varies by city and funding source, so there is no single countywide cap to quote. One FY 2024-25 SHIP record showed up to $80,000 per household, but buyers should confirm the current cap for their city and funding source with the county program.
Can Broward HPA be combined with a state program?
It depends on each program's rules and first mortgage lender approval. Confirm pairing, eligibility, and occupancy terms for the full combination with a participating lender before relying on it.
Does Broward HPA have a monthly payment?
No. Under the 2022 county guidelines it is a 0 percent deferred loan with no monthly payment, satisfied after 15 years of primary-residence occupancy.