State Housing Initiatives Partnership Program (SHIP)

The State Housing Initiatives Partnership program (SHIP) provides funds to local governments as an incentive to create partnerships that produce and preserve affordable homeownership and multifamily housing. The program was designed to serve very low, low, and moderate-income families.

SHIP funds are distributed on an entitlement basis to all 67 counties and 52 Community Development Block Grant entitlement cities in Florida. The minimum allocation is $350,000. 

To participate, local governments must establish a local housing assistance program by ordinance, develop a local housing assistance plan and housing incentive strategy, amend land development regulations or establish local policies to implement the incentive strategies, form partnerships, and combine resources to reduce housing costs and ensure that rent or mortgage payments within the targeted areas do not exceed 30 percent of the area median income limits unless authorized by the mortgage lender.

SHIP dollars may be used to fund emergency repairs, new construction, rehabilitation, down payment and closing cost assistance, impact fees, construction and gap financing, mortgage buy-downs, acquisition of property for affordable housing, matching dollars for federal housing grants, and homeownership counseling. SHIP funds may be used to assist units that meet the standards outlined in Chapter 553.

SHIP Details

• Applications processed on a “First Qualified, First Served“ basis for both programs
• Only one SHIP assistance program can be used per household

 Opens a New WSHIP Homebuyer’s Assistance Program

• Up to $65,000 funding assistance for the purchase of home
• Secured by a recorded 30-year note and mortgage with zero percent interest
• Full amount due at maturity

SHIP Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation Program

• Up to $35,000 to funding assistance for rehabilitation of an existing owner-occupied home
• Assistance provided by zero percent interest deferred payment loan which is secured by a recorded 20-year note and mortgage
• Fully forgiven at maturity

SHIP Housing Intake Application

• SHIP Application
  • SHIP Homebuyer Assistance Application Attachment
  • SHIP Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Application Attachment
• 2025 Monroe County SHIP Income and Rental Limits

Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP)

• Monroe County LHAP 2025-28 (Amended 9/10/2025)