If you have been watching home prices climb across Broward and quietly wondering whether owning here is still within reach, read this one all the way through. Broward County has opened its Affordable Housing Trust Fund Homeownership Program, and it can put up to $100,000 toward the purchase of your first home. At Housing Foundation of America, we walk families through the whole thing, and we do it at no cost to you.
Let's break down what the program actually is, who it is built for, and where we fit in.
💰 What the program gives you:
The county is offering up to $100,000 per property to help you buy a primary residence anywhere in Broward. It comes as a second mortgage at zero percent interest, and here is the part that surprises people: there are no monthly payments on it.
If you stay in the home as your primary residence for 15 years, the loan is forgiven. You never pay it back. If you sell the home or transfer the title before those 15 years are up, you repay the full amount at that point. That is the trade, and for a family planning to put down roots, it is a strong one.
The money is flexible, too. You can put it toward your down payment, your closing costs, reducing the principal on your first mortgage, or buying down your interest rate so your monthly payment is easier to carry.
✅ Who qualifies:
The program is for buyers earning at or below 120 percent of the area median income. In plain terms, a two-person household can earn up to $121,680, and a family of four can earn up to $152,160. The limits go higher as your household grows, all the way up to $200,880 for a household of eight.
A few other things to know:
- You need to be a first-time buyer, which the county defines as not having owned a home in the past three years. There are exceptions for veterans and for certain target areas.
- The home has to be your primary residence for the life of the loan.
- You can buy anywhere in Broward, with a maximum sales price around $679,324.
- It works for single-family homes, townhomes, villas, condos, and many manufactured homes with a property tax ID. Mobile homes and co-ops are not eligible.
One detail families miss until it is too late: the funds are handed out first-come, first-qualified, first-served. Each commission district has its own pool of money. Once a district runs out, that is it until more is allocated. So being ready early is not a small advantage. It is the whole game.
📋 The five steps:
The county lays the program out in five steps. Here is what each one really means:
- Check the money. Confirm funds are still available in the district where you want to buy.
- Check your income. Make sure your household income falls under the limit for your family size.
- Check the property. Confirm the home you have your eye on is eligible.
- Check yourself as a buyer. Confirm you meet the buyer requirements.
- Talk to a lender and take a homebuyer class. Get pre-approved for a first mortgage, and complete a homebuyer education class with a Housing Foundation of America, Inc. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE!
🤝 Where we come in:
That fifth step is where a lot of people stall, and it is exactly where Housing Foundation of America steps in.
We are a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. Our free homebuyer education class satisfies the requirement the county sets for that final step. And our counselors sit down with you one on one to get your income, your credit, and your documents in order well before funds are moving, so you are prepared instead of scrambling. We serve families in English, Spanish, and Creole, because your path to a home should not depend on which language you speak at your kitchen table.
There is a bonus worth knowing about, too. Many buyers also qualify for the Mortgage Credit Certificate, a federal tax credit worth 10 to 50 percent of the mortgage interest you pay each year, up to $2,000 annually. We can help you see whether it fits your situation.
📲 Stay a step ahead with our app:
Because these funds move fast, timing matters.Download the Housing Foundation Home Search App, free on the App Store and Google Play. You will get Priority Down Payment Assistance alerts so you hear about openings early, you can browse available listings, and you can keep your whole homebuying journey in one place.
🔑 Ready to start?
You do not have to figure this out alone. Here is how to reach us:
Owning a home in Broward is still possible. Let's get you ready before the money runs out!
Housing Foundation of America is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency helping South Florida families reach their housing goals.