The highly anticipated Florida Hometown Hero Program, which has been sponsored by State Senator Ed Hooper (R-16), has now gained the backing of CFO Jimmy Patronis (R-FL) in hopes of being a "stabilizing force for good" for public servants.
Proposed in the 2022 legislative session, this program intends to reduce the initial cost of buying a home by providing zero-interest loans for those individuals that qualify through their profession.
"I’m a big believer in homeownership. All we’re trying to do with this legislation is help facilitate the American dream, the Florida dream; Our Hometown Hero program is an amazing program where we’re going to do a revolving loan program. Every time there’s new homeownership in Florida, it’s a stabilizing force for good, but it also rings the state's cash register for the state’s economy. This is going to be an amazing piece of legislation when it reaches Governor DeSantis’ desk," said CFO Patronis during a press conference at the Capitol.
The press conference also hosted the President of Florida Realtors, Christina Pappas who also has put her support behind the revolutionary program.
President Pappas was able to successfully bring in 900 realtors from across the state of Florida to the Capitol building this week"to advocate for policies that help Floridians."
However, Pappas added that the state is facing an "affordable housing crisis. It is hurting hardworking Floridians. We have an amazing state." Pappas added, "But it is the red hot real estate market that has started to price our hard-working Floridians, our heroes, out of the communities in which they work."
Pappas then joined Patronis in his endorsement of the legislation, claiming that this program will be a, "tangible way to help our hometown heroes get the boost they need, the hand they need so that they can own a home in the face of daunting numbers."
