Pasco County Down Payment Assistance Programs — 2026 Guide

Pasco County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida, with Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, Trinity, and New Port Richey drawing thousands of new residents every year. With that growth has come rising home prices — and an increasing number of first-time buyers who find themselves close to being able to purchase but needing a little more to get over the down payment hurdle. Pasco County's Down Payment Assistance program exists specifically to close that gap, offering eligible buyers up to $65,000 at zero percent interest.

This guide covers how the Pasco County DPA program works, who qualifies, how it stacks with Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) statewide programs, and what the 2026 process looks like from application to closing.

How Much Down Payment Assistance Does Pasco County Offer?

Pasco County's Down Payment Assistance program is funded through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program and administered by Pasco County Community Development. The amount of assistance available depends on your household income relative to the Area Median Income (AMI) for the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater MSA:

• Very Low Income (at or below 50% AMI): Up to $65,000
• Low Income (51% to 80% AMI): Up to $50,000
• Moderate Income (81% to 120% AMI): Up to $35,000

All assistance is structured as a 0% interest second mortgage with no monthly payments. The deferred loan becomes due only when you sell the home, refinance, transfer title, or no longer occupy the property as your primary residence. For buyers in the Very Low and Low Income tiers, the loan is fully forgiven after 30 years of continued owner-occupancy — meaning the assistance truly becomes a grant for long-term homeowners. Buyers in the Moderate Income tier have a 5-year deferral followed by monthly repayments for the remaining 25 years. To understand how early sale or refinance affects these terms, see our guide on what happens if you sell before your DPA is forgiven.

Who Qualifies for Pasco County Down Payment Assistance?

The Pasco County DPA program is designed for first-time homebuyers — defined as buyers who have not owned a primary residence in the past three years. To qualify in 2026, you generally need to meet all of the following requirements:

• First-time buyer status: No primary residence ownership in the past three years (all household members who will live in the home must meet this).
• Income eligibility: Household income must be at or below 120% of AMI for the Tampa Bay area based on household size. For 2026, this threshold is approximately $90,000–$110,000 for a family of four, though exact figures vary by household size and are subject to annual SHIP updates.
• Purchase price limit: The home must be priced at $330,000 or less. This cap is set by the SHIP program and applies to the total purchase price of the property.
• Primary residence: The home must be your principal place of residence — vacation homes and investment properties are not eligible.
• Eligible property types: Single-family homes, townhomes, and qualifying condos within Pasco County. The property must pass required inspections and meet minimum condition standards.
• Homebuyer education: Completion of a HUD-approved homebuyer education course is required before closing. Suncoast Housing Connections ((727) 442-7075) is the locally recommended provider for Pasco County buyers. Online options are also available. See our guide on what happens at a homebuyer education course.
• Minimum credit score: While Pasco County Community Development does not publish a single universal minimum, most participating lenders require a 620 or higher FICO score to combine county DPA with a qualifying first mortgage. Review our breakdown of credit score requirements for DPA in Florida for more detail.

One detail many buyers miss: all household members age 18 or older who will reside in the home must have their income included in the household total, whether or not they are on the mortgage. If your spouse, partner, or adult child will be living with you, their income counts — even if they will not appear on the deed or loan.

Where in Pasco County Does the DPA Program Apply?

The Pasco County program covers the entire unincorporated county, along with participating municipalities. Communities where the program is available include Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, New Port Richey, Trinity, Zephyrhills, Dade City, Hudson, and Odessa (Pasco portions). If you are purchasing in an incorporated city that administers its own housing programs, confirm with your lender whether the county program, a city-specific program, or both apply to your purchase.

Buyers targeting Wesley Chapel and Land O' Lakes in particular often find a wide range of new construction communities alongside resale inventory. It is worth noting that Pasco County's $330,000 purchase price cap can be a constraint in newer Wesley Chapel subdivisions where entry-level pricing has climbed. For a full discussion of how DPA interacts with new construction, see our guide on using down payment assistance on new construction in Florida.

Can You Stack Pasco County DPA with Florida Housing Programs?

This is one of the most important questions for Pasco County buyers, and the answer is: often, yes — with the right lender. Pasco County's SHIP-funded DPA can in many cases be combined with statewide programs administered by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC), most notably:

• Florida Hometown Heroes: Up to 5% of the first mortgage amount for teachers, nurses, firefighters, law enforcement, and other qualifying professions. On a $300,000 loan, that is $15,000 toward your down payment and closing costs.
• FL Assist: $10,000 as a 0% deferred second mortgage when paired with an FHFC first mortgage.
• HFA Preferred PLUS: A 3% or 5% grant (not a loan) based on the loan amount, applied toward down payment and closing costs.

Layering a county SHIP loan on top of a statewide program can push your total assistance to $40,000 or more — enough to cover a meaningful down payment and a significant portion of closing costs on a moderately priced Pasco County home. Our guide to stacking multiple DPA programs in Florida covers the mechanics of how these combinations work and which income and purchase price limits control each layer.

Not all lenders are set up to coordinate both county-level SHIP loans and FHFC programs simultaneously — this matters because the reservation and approval processes for each program run through different channels. Choosing a lender with demonstrated Pasco County DPA experience is not just a preference; it is a practical requirement for making stacking work smoothly.

What Is the Pasco County DPA Application Process?

The Pasco County DPA application is initiated through Pasco County Community Development. The county maintains offices in New Port Richey ((727) 834-3445), Dade City ((352) 521-4274, ext. 3445), and Land O' Lakes ((813) 996-7341, ext. 3445). In practice, most buyers work through the process alongside their lender rather than contacting the county directly — your participating lender coordinates the DPA application as part of the overall loan package.

The general sequence looks like this:

1. Get pre-qualified with a participating lender — your lender must be approved to originate both the first mortgage product and coordinate with the Pasco County SHIP program. Not all Florida Housing-approved lenders are also set up for county SHIP programs, so confirm before you start.
2. Complete homebuyer education — HUD-approved class completion is required. Start this early; some providers have scheduling waits. See our homebuyer education guide for what to expect.
3. Apply for the DPA through your lender — your lender submits the income and eligibility documentation to Pasco County Community Development for review and reservation of funds.
4. Find and contract on a qualifying property — the home must be within the county, priced at or below $330,000, and pass the required inspections.
5. Close with DPA applied — the assistance is funded at closing as a second mortgage, directly reducing the cash you need to bring to settlement.

Gather documentation early. The county and your lender will need tax returns for the past two years, pay stubs, bank statements, and documentation of all household income sources. Our full DPA application checklist covers everything you should have ready before you start.

How Does Pasco County DPA Compare to Hillsborough and Pinellas?

Each Tampa Bay county administers its own SHIP-funded programs with different caps, terms, and eligibility rules. Here is a quick comparison for context:

• Pasco County: Up to $65,000 (Very Low Income), $330,000 purchase price cap, 30-year deferred with forgiveness for low-income buyers.
• Hillsborough County: Programs range from $15,000 to $40,000 through multiple SHIP and federal sources; higher purchase price limits in many scenarios.
• Pinellas County: Up to $75,000 deferred through county; St. Petersburg offers up to $75,000 fully forgivable at 10 years.

If you are flexible on county — for example, you could purchase near the Pasco-Hillsborough border — it is worth modeling out which county's program gives you better terms for your income level and target purchase price. A buyer at 75% AMI looking at a $310,000 home might find Pasco's assistance structure more favorable, while a buyer at 100% AMI targeting a $370,000 home might be limited by Pasco's purchase price cap and better served by Hillsborough or Pinellas programs. An experienced lender who works across all three counties can run these comparisons for you.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy in Pasco County Using DPA?

Pasco County's housing market in 2026 has more inventory than the 2021–2023 period, and sellers are more willing to negotiate — including on closing costs and price adjustments. For DPA buyers, this is actually an advantage: your assistance package covers your down payment, and in some cases your closing costs, without needing to ask the seller for concessions. A DPA buyer who can make a clean full-price offer is competitive in a way that many all-cash bargain hunters are not expecting.

Pasco County's SHIP funding is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and programs have historically been paused or closed when available funds are committed. Buyers who have been considering waiting another year or two to save more should at minimum understand where they stand today — many are closer to qualifying than they realize, particularly once all available stacking options are factored in.

Barrett Henry, REALTOR® with REMAX Collective, brings 23+ years of real estate experience to buyers across Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and the greater Tampa Bay area. Barrett works with DPA buyers regularly and can connect you with approved lenders who handle Pasco County SHIP programs and FHFC statewide programs. Call (813) 733-7907 to find out what you qualify for.

For a full first-time buyer overview that includes all Tampa Bay county programs — Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and beyond — visit First-Time Home Buyer Tampa Bay. To search available homes in Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, Trinity, and other Pasco communities alongside current listings and neighborhood guides, visit Now Tampa Bay.