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City of Hialeah First-Time Homebuyer Assistance (Home Purchase Assistance)

Nelson Paredes · REALTOR® · One Stop Realty Center Inc

Updated October 14, 2026

Up to $150,000

The city is accepting online applications — checked October 20, 2026. Its page says Home Purchase Assistance applications are accepted through Neighborly. That does not confirm funds for new approvals: the 2025–2028 plan serves applicants from a waiting list. City source.

  • The most the city lends, at 0% interest, under its 2025–2028 plan, toward the down payment, closing costs and repairs. The city may approve less.

    The figures and requirements come from the official program page, the city's two housing plans, its funding notice and its brochure, read one by one. The status above comes from the last time we read the city's page, with its date.

    Checked October 14, 2026.

Tap one to read it.

    • How much: up to $150,000 under the 2025–2028 plan, toward the down payment, closing costs and eligible repairs. The maximum is not a guaranteed award.
    • Repayment: under that plan it is a 0% loan with no monthly payments while you meet the conditions, and the city forgives it after 15 years. If you sell, rent it out, transfer the home or move out earlier, the full loan is normally due, subject to the specific exceptions explained below.
    • Who: generally, buyers who have not owned a principal residence in the previous three years, who meet the household income limits and buy a home to live in within the City of Hialeah. The new plan sets a $636,806 purchase price cap, which can be updated.
    • How to apply: online, through the city's Neighborly portal. The plan says this assistance is given from a waiting list, with priorities. The city accepting applications does not prove there is money for new approvals.

  • The city's 2025–2028 housing plan (Local Housing Assistance Plan, or LHAP), funded with Florida's State Housing Initiatives Partnership money (SHIP), sets a maximum of $150,000 to buy a new or existing home. The maximum does not change with your household income: the city decides whether to award assistance and how much, based on your file and its funding.

    Under this plan, the assistance is a 0% interest, 15-year loan, secured by a mortgage on the home. No monthly payments are required while the loan is in good standing and you follow its rules, and the city forgives the entire loan at the end of 15 years; there is no partial forgiveness each year.

  • The city's program page still links to its 2022–2025 plan, even though the 2025–2028 plan has been approved. And the city's funding notice still accepts applications for money from earlier fiscal years. The two plans' terms differ:

    2022–2025 plan2025–2028 plan
    MaximumUp to $50,000 for moderate income, $100,000 for low or very low income, and $150,000 for extremely low incomeUp to $150,000, with no tiers by income
    Term20 years15 years
    If you sell earlyYou repay the loan plus a share of what the home gained in valueYou repay the full loan, with exceptions

    A published funding window alone does not establish which plan will govern a new application. Before relying on an amount or a term, ask the Housing Division which money and which plan your assistance would come from.

  • Under the 2025–2028 plan, if you sell, rent out, transfer title or move out before the end of the term, the city may require you to repay the entire loan.

    There are two documented exceptions, neither of which is automatic:

    • Transfer with an approved assumption: the city may allow another person to take over the loan under a written agreement, with credit approval and possibly different interest terms. The city makes this decision.
    • Inheritance by immediate family: the loan may stay in place if your immediate family inherits the home, lives there full time and meets the plan's income limits.

    You can also, under conditions, refinance your bank mortgage without repaying the city loan, as long as the new loan is no larger than what you still owe on that mortgage, there is no cash-out, and it lowers your payment or rate. Confirm with the city before signing.

    • First-time buyer: generally, no ownership of a principal residence in the past three years. Exceptions exist; for example, a single parent who only owned a home with a former spouse while married may still qualify.
    • Income: the new plan covers very-low-, low- and moderate-income households, up to 140% of Area Median Income (AMI). The city's webpage lists income figures only through 80%. If your income is above that, ask the city whether the 140% limit applies to your application before spending money.
    • Location: the home must be inside Hialeah city limits, not just have a Hialeah mailing address.
    • Occupancy: you must live in it as your primary residence.
    • Price: the 2025–2028 plan sets $636,806 for a new or existing home. It comes from a federal limit that gets updated; the city confirms the current cap when it reviews your case.
    • Home type: mobile homes and trailers are not eligible.
    • Education: homebuyer education is part of the process; the city confirms which certificate and documents it accepts.

  • These are the SHIP limits published by Florida Housing, effective May 1, 2026, by household size. The percentages refer to Area Median Income. Up to 80% AMI is what the city's page publishes:

    Household sizeUp to 50% AMIUp to 80% AMI
    1$47,700$76,300
    2$54,500$87,200
    3$61,300$98,100
    4$68,100$109,000
    5$73,550$117,750
    6$79,000$126,450
    7$84,450$135,150
    8$89,900$143,900

    Above that, up to 140% AMI is what the 2025–2028 plan allows:

    Household sizeUp to 120% AMIUp to 140% AMI
    1$114,480$133,560
    2$130,800$152,600
    3$147,120$171,640
    4$163,440$190,680
    5$176,520$205,940
    6$189,600$221,200
    7$202,680$236,460
    8$215,760$251,720

    Important: Hialeah's program page publishes limits through 80% AMI; the 140% threshold comes from the 2025–2028 plan, and the earlier plan has different terms. If your household income is above the 80% column, confirm with the city which limit applies to your case. Falling below a limit does not guarantee assistance: the city also reviews your documents, household income, the home, its priorities and its funding. Florida Housing's full 2026 table also includes 30% AMI.

    1. 1Check today's statusHialeah's SHIP program page says it is accepting Home Purchase Assistance applications online. Look at the card at the top, with the date we last checked it, before you start.
    2. 2Use NeighborlyThe city's funding notice links to its Neighborly participant portal. The notice lists a window through June 30, 2028 for FY 2025–2026 funds and through June 30, 2027 for FY 2024–2025 funds, or until all the money is committed, whichever comes first. Those dates do not confirm money remains or say which plan will govern a new application.
    3. 3The city reviews your fileUnder the new plan, qualified applicants are served in the order their files were completed. Households with special needs have priority, followed by very-low- and low-income households.
    4. 4Assistance is given from a waiting listThe plan says so expressly. The current queue size and wait time have not been verified. Applying does not guarantee a place, approval or funding.

    Official contact: Housing and Community Services Division, 305-883-8040. Office: 20 E 6th St, Hialeah, FL 33010, per a 2026 city notice. Confirm office hours before visiting.

  • A 2023 city brochure asked for the following. This is 2023 guidance: the city still publishes it, but we have not confirmed it all still applies.

    • A mortgage pre-approval letter, a homebuyer education certificate less than six months old, and proof of your own funds equal to 2% of the purchase price.
    • Documents for everyone in the household: identity, income, savings, assets and debts. The brochure lists, among others, ID, Social Security card, certificates and six months of financial records. Submit your documents only through the official portal or a channel the city directs you to; Umbralio does not collect them through this guide.
    • The brochure also said the city needs at least 45 days to close, and that the city approves the assistance and sends an award letter first; only then do you look for the home.

    Before paying for a course, applying for a mortgage or making an offer, ask the city which of these requirements and steps still apply. Having your paperwork ready does not guarantee a place on the waiting list or the money.

  • These are separate programs, even though both mention up to $150,000.

    Hialeah assistanceWelcome H.O.M.E.
    Run byCity of HialeahMiami-Dade County (MDEAT)
    HomesNew or existing homes inside HialeahThree new homes in District 9
    AmountUp to $150,000 under the city's new plan, subject to its conditionsUp to $150,000, subject to funding
    How it worksNeighborly application and the plan's waiting listPrescreening and a lottery
    DatesThe city says it accepts applications online; current funding unconfirmedAnnounced for September 1–30, 2026, or earlier if 200 eligible applications came in

    For a new window or results, see Miami-Dade's official page or our Welcome H.O.M.E. guide.

  • The down payment assistance finder compares other programs in Miami-Dade and Broward. The Down Payment Assistance Tracker shows each program's status with the date we checked it. This guide explains Hialeah's program but does not replace the city's review of your case.

  • Will I receive the entire $150,000? Not necessarily. That is the maximum in the 2025–2028 plan. What you get depends on the rules for the money behind your application and on the city's decision.

    Is money available today? How much remains for new approvals has not been confirmed. The city says it accepts applications online, which does not prove there is money. Check the card at the top and its date.

    Why does the plan on the city's website show different amounts? The website still links the 2022–2025 plan, with $50,000, $100,000 or $150,000 maximums by household income and a 20-year term. The 2025–2028 plan allows up to $150,000 over 15 years, without those tiers. The city confirms which plan applies to your application.

    Do I apply online or join a waiting list? Both: you apply through Neighborly, and the 2025–2028 plan says this assistance is given from a waiting list. The current wait has not been verified.

    What is the income limit for a household of four? Florida Housing's 2026 table shows $109,000 for four at 80% AMI and $190,680 at 140% AMI. Hialeah's webpage only goes up to 80%; ask the city which limit applies to the money behind your file.

    Does the assistance need to be repaid? Under the 2025–2028 plan it is a 0% loan the city forgives at the end of 15 years. If you sell, rent out or move out earlier, the full loan is normally due, except in the two cases above: a buyer the city approves, or inheritance by your immediate family, with their conditions. The earlier plan has different terms.

    Is this the County's three-home lottery? No. Welcome H.O.M.E. is a Miami-Dade County initiative. This guide covers the City of Hialeah program.

Figures and requirements checked on October 14, 2026 against the City of Hialeah's official program page, its two housing plans, its funding notice, its 2023 brochure and Florida Housing's income table. Public program terms can change without notice: always confirm with the city before applying. This guide orients you, it does not advise you.

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