Jacob Ogles
The Senate appears willing to compromise on funding for the Hometown Heroes Program
The Senate in its initial budget proposed budget included $150 million for the program, three times the $50 million budgeted by appropriators in the House. But the latest Senate Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development Appropriations Committee offer shows the upper chamber bringing funding to House levels.
That means the program could end up with half the $100 million Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed in his own budget ahead of Session. DeSantis has often cited the program’s success in attracting police officers to the state. DeSantis’ budget also called for extending the program to members of the Florida State Guard.
As part of the Live Local Act, the program was expanded last year from helping first responders and other public employees to assisting any qualified first-time homebuyers by providing loans to assist with down payments, closing costs and new mortgages.
The $50 million offer was included in the latest Senate negotiation but has not been locked in yet by both chambers, so it is still subject to shifts.
The Senate and House have now both proposed $150 million recurring budget authority for affordable housing programs, though the chambers have yet formally locked that into talks. Both budgets include $71.2 million for other affordable housing efforts.
The chambers have also both proposed funding various local efforts to help with the housing crisis, but not necessarily the same programs. The House budgeted $375,000 for an initiative in Pasco and Hernando counties while the Senate has $350,000 for homeowner opportunities in Pinellas County.
The Community Land Trust would receive $471,500 for an affordable housing effort in Northwest Florida in the House budget, which also includes $950,000 for an EduDwell Living proposal from the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. But the latest Senate offer includes none of that.
The Senate does have $500,000 budgeted for Florida Studio Theatre workforce housing and $400,000 for Magnolia Landing in Naranja for affordable housing and construction education, but neither proposal is in House plans at the moment.
