Affordable housing opportunities

City of St. Petersburg Housing Assistance Loan Programs & Homes for Sale

ST. PETERSBURG — The City of St. Petersburg has homes for sale and down payment assistance programs available for eligible participants. Why pay rent when for as little as one percent down, you can live the American dream of homeownership?

The homes for sale offered by the City of St. Petersburg are constructed or newly renovated by the highest quality standards. Many include landscaping, Energy-Star appliances, prepaid home warranty, security alarm systems and some are “hardened” to protect the home from the perils of storm. Home Owner Assistance is available to home buyers whose income does not exceed 120% Median Family Income (MFI). A list of Homes for Sale is available at www.stpete.org/nsp.

Income requirements: Median Family Income (MFI) is annually defined by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) established specifically for the St. Petersburg area. The MFI is adjusted according to the number of household occupants. The chart below lists the maximum annual gross household income by family size. The City of St. Petersburg assists families whose income does not exceed 120 percent MFI. Funding for those at 120 percent MFI is limited and will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Household median income is calculated by adding all sources of income from all residents living in the home, related or not. Income includes, but is not limited to: Social Security, child support, alimony, public assistance, pensions, salaries & any income-producing asset.

Purchase assistance loans assist the first-time home buyer with closing costs and down payment associated with the purchase of a home. Home buyer assistance loans are offered at 0 percent interest. Monthly payments are amortized over 240 months; after 10 years, the remaining balance of the loan is forgiven if payments are made in a timely manner. (New or existing single-family residential homes, condominiums, town-homes or cooperative living units, purchase price not exceeding $129,000 existing; $195,000 new construction)

Educational requirements:  Home Buyer Education is a benefit and a condition of receiving down payment and closing cost assistance. A first-time home buyer is required to attend an eight hour city approved home-ownership class that will provide important information necessary to make informed decisions during the process of buying and managing a home. Neighborhood Home Solutions (NHS) is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency that offers the City of St. Petersburg approved Home Buyer Education workshop. All NHS classes and workshops are provided free of charge. The next FREE workshop is offered on Sat., Dec. 13.

You may register online www.nhsfl.org or by calling 727-821-6897.

NHS is a 501 (c) (3) HUD approved nonprofit housing counseling organization. Services are provided free of charge. Partners include the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), HomeFree USA, Florida Hardest-Hit Fund, Pinellas County Community Development, and the City of St. Petersburg. The source for this article was the City of St. Petersburg Housing & Community Development.