Can Veterans United Offer the Hometown Heroes Program in Florida? Here’s the Truth

If you’re a veteran or active-duty service member buying a home in Florida, you may have heard about the Hometown Heroes Loan Program—a state benefit that can save you up to $35,000 in down payment and closing costs.

But here’s what many borrowers don’t realize: not every lender can offer it, even if they specialize in VA loans.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

In this post, we’ll explain whether Veterans United is approved for Hometown Heroes in Florida and the truth you need to know before choosing your lender.

What Is the Florida Hometown Heroes Program?

The Florida Hometown Heroes Program helps eligible full-time workers—including veterans, active-duty military, and National Guard members—buy a home by providing money for the down payment and closing costs.

Administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, the program offers up to $35,000 in assistance through a 0% interest second mortgage.

There are no monthly payments, and repayment is only required if you sell the home, refinance, or pay off your primary mortgage.

While 2024 allowed all full-time Florida workers to qualify, the 2025 program is limited to certain occupations such as military service members, first responders, healthcare professionals, teachers, and other designated public service roles.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

Can Veterans United Offer the Hometown Heroes Program in Florida?

No — Veterans United is not an approved lender for Florida’s Hometown Heroes Loan Program.

Even if you qualify for the program as a veteran or active-duty service member, you can only receive the funds through a lender on the Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s approved list.

Veterans United may be one of the largest VA lenders in the country, but in Florida, they are not authorized to process Hometown Heroes assistance.

That means if you use them, you will miss out on up to $35,000 in down payment and closing cost help the program provides.

To get these benefits, you’ll need to work with a VA-approved lender that is also Florida Housing-approved.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

Veterans United and the Florida Hometown Heroes Program: Why It Doesn’t Work

Veterans United is one of the largest VA lenders in the country and a trusted name among service members.

However, in Florida, they are not an approved lender for the Hometown Heroes Loan Program.

This is a critical detail—because no matter your eligibility, you can only access Hometown Heroes assistance through a lender on the Florida Housing Finance Corporation’s approved list.

That means:

• Even if you fully qualify for Hometown Heroes

• Even if you already have a VA loan approval from Veterans United

• Even if you’re told, “You can still get the grant”

…it simply won’t happen. The program’s funds must be issued directly at closing by an approved lender, and Veterans United is not on that list in Florida. 

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

Where Veterans and Other Borrowers Get Misled

We’ve seen this scenario play out countless times. A veteran calls Veterans United to ask about the Hometown Heroes Loan Program.

The loan officer might say something like, “You can get the grant and we’ll work it into your loan.”

Here’s the truth: that’s simply not possible.

Florida Housing funds can only be issued at closing by a lender who is officially approved to offer the Hometown Heroes Program.

You can’t “bring” the grant from another source, and it cannot be added after the fact—it must flow through the approved lender’s pipeline from start to finish.

Without that, the funds will never make it to your closing table.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

The Truth About Getting Hometown Heroes with Veterans United

Some borrowers are told, “If you qualify for Hometown Heroes, you can still get it no matter which lender you use.”

This is misleading.

The reality is that Hometown Heroes assistance can only be issued by a Florida Housing-approved lender at the time of closing.

Veterans United is not on that approved list, so there’s no process—legal or otherwise—for adding those funds to your loan.

If your lender isn’t approved, you won’t get the money, even if you technically meet the program requirements.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

What the Florida Hometown Heroes Program Means for Veterans

The VA loan is already one of the most powerful benefits available to service members and veterans, offering:

• No down payment

• No monthly mortgage insurance

• Competitive interest rates

When combined with Florida’s Hometown Heroes Program, eligible veterans could receive up to $35,000 to cover closing costs, prepaid expenses, and more—often resulting in a true $0 out-of-pocket closing.

But there’s a catch: if your lender isn’t approved by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, you lose access to that assistance entirely, no matter how qualified you are.

Choosing the right lender is the difference between maximizing your benefits or leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

How Veterans Can Avoid Missing Out on Hometown Heroes

If you’re a veteran or active-duty service member in Florida, taking a few simple steps can ensure you don’t lose out on Hometown Heroes assistance:

1. Ask your lender upfront: “Are you an approved Florida Housing lender for the Hometown Heroes Program?”

2. Verify it yourself: Florida Housing publishes an up-to-date list of approved lenders on its website.

3. Switch early if needed: If your current lender isn’t approved, move to one that is before you invest time, money, and paperwork.

By confirming your lender’s status early, you can make sure every benefit you’ve earned—both your VA loan and Hometown Heroes assistance—makes it to the closing table.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility

The Bottom Line

Veterans United is a respected VA lender nationwide, but in Florida, they cannot offer the Hometown Heroes Loan Program. If you choose them, you will miss out on this valuable benefit—no matter what you’ve been told.

At MakeFloridaYourHome.com, we partner with lenders and brokers who are both:

• VA-approved, and

• Florida Housing-approved

…so you can take advantage of every benefit you’ve earned—without unpleasant surprises at closing. Don’t rely on vague promises over the phone—get the facts and choose a lender who can truly deliver.

Check Your 2025 Florida Hometown Heroes Program Eligibility