Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced his newly approved “Hometown Heroes” program which will help public safety workers, medical professionals, and teachers among others purchase a home, according to CBN News. In a press conference on Monday at the Cape Coral Police Department, DeSantis explained that the program is necessary because it will allow numerous professionals to buy homes near the communities they serve as opposed to living far away. Offering such a program will allow eligible residents of Florida to have a better lifestyle.
With many people fleeing states like New York and California, this initiative provides even more of an incentive than there already is to choose Florida. The Hometown Heroes Housing Program will receive $100 million in funding. CBN News reports that “borrowers can receive up to 5 percent – at a maximum of $25,000 – on first mortgage loans for down-payment and closing-cost assistance.” The funds for the program will not be available until July 1, but eligible applicants may begin to apply on June 1.
DeSantis invited two recipients of the program to speak at his press conference. Officer Ashton Wolfe who is with the Cape Coral Police Department, shared that because of this program, he was able to purchase a house at the age of 23 which is unique among those in his age group. Another recipient, second-grade teacher at Mid Cape Global Academy, Melba Lugo, shared that “owning a home seemed like a ‘distant, far away dream,’ but thanks to Hometown Heroes, her dream became reality and now at the age of 63 has her own home.
The Hometown Heroes Program helps frontline workers including veterans, active-duty military, surviving spouses of deceased veterans, law enforcement officers, paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, registered nurses, home health aids, child care operators, and correctional officers among a myriad of other professionals. This program is not only providing an incentive for these essential workers to live in Florida, it also pays them the respect they deserve for their service to their communities and allows them to be a part of their community which they now have the opportunity to do thanks to the Hometown Heroes Housing Program.