State Housing Initiatives Partnership program (SHIP)
About the Program ​​
The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program provides funding as a 0% interest deferred loan, forgiven at a rate of 5% per year over a 20-year period, to support the creation and preservation of affordable housing for income-eligible households in Sarasota County. This loan is fully forgiven after 20 years, provided the loan remains in good standing. Through SHIP, we offer assistance for home purchases, owner-occupied rehabilitation, disaster recovery, special needs barrier removal, rental development, and acquisition/rehabilitation or new construction of homes.
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Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, a homeowner in need of critical repairs, or seeking housing that better meets your accessibility needs, our SHIP-funded programs may be able to help. Assistance is available in the form of grants or deferred loans based on program type and applicant eligibility.​​
Applications now open for Purchase Assistance and Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation
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Note: You will have to create an account.
Current Programs: ​​​
Applications for SHIP funding for purchase assistance and owner-occupied rehabilitation activities will open on November 3, 2025. Applications for SHIP funding for rental development and acquisition/rehabilitation/new construction activities will open tentatively in January 2026.
Purchase Assistance
SHIP funds will be awarded for gap financing, down payment, and closing costs to eligible households to purchase a newly constructed or existing single-family home, townhome, or condominium. Manufactured and mobile homes are not eligible.​
Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation
Funding will be allocated toward households in need of repairs to correct substandard conditions, eliminate code violations, upgrade major systems, and make general property site improvements to improve the health, safety, and welfare of the occupants.
Need Help?
HERO staff will offer in-person SHIP assistance from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. at Jacaranda Library and Selby Library on the below dates:
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Jacaranda Library (Venice):
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Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025
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Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025
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Selby Library (Downtown):
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Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025
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Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025
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Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025
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Additional dates to be added as needed.
The local contact for Sarasota County’s SHIP Program​:
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Address (by appointment only):
Housing Enhancement and Redevelopment Office (HERO)
4510 Fruitville Road, 2nd Floor
Sarasota, FL 34232
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Email:
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Phone:
941-861-5336
Local Housing Assistance Plan
The Local Housing Assistance Plan (LHAP) outlines the specific strategies and criteria for each program. We are committed to working with community partners, developers and local residents to meet the diverse housing needs of our county and strengthen neighborhoods through safe, affordable housing.