Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) - State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) for FY 2025-2026

Purchase Assistance – Gap financing, down payment, and closing cost assistance to eligible households to purchase a newly constructed or existing single-family home, townhome, or condominium. Manufactured and mobile homes are not eligible.

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Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation – Assistance to eligible homeowners with renovations to preserve and maintain their home and/or assist physically disabled households with modifications to remove barriers and make housing accessible.

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Acquisition/Rehabilitation/New Construction (Homeownership) – Loans to eligible  Sponsors/Developers of affordable homeownership housing for construction financing. Eligible costs include property acquisition, demolition, site improvements, rehabilitation, and new construction. Houses rehabilitated or constructed will be sold to SHIP income eligible buyers.

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Rental Development – Loans to eligible Sponsors/Developers of affordable rental units that are awarded construction financing through other state or federal housing programs to construct affordable rental units. This funding is intended to be used as gap financing required for the project.

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Disaster Assistance – Assistance provided to eligible homeowners and renters following a disaster as declared by Executive Order. This strategy will only be implemented in the event of a disaster using any funds that have not yet been encumbered or additional disaster funds issued by Florida Housing Finance Corporation.

 

Applications for SHIP funding for purchase assistance and owner-occupied rehabilitation activities will open in October 2025. Applications for SHIP funding for rental development and acquisition/rehabilitation/new construction activities will open tentatively in January 2026.  

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Sarasota County will be accepting housing applications on an ongoing basis. Applications for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 funded activities will be accepted between October 13, 2025 through June 30, 2028 or until all available funds are spent. Additional program information, application link, and the County’s Local Housing Assistance Plan are available on Sarasota County’s HERO website.

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Applications  will be accepted on a first-qualified, first-served basis. Special priority will be given to persons with special needs. Persons with special needs are defined in Florida State Statute 420,0004(13). Funding awards are subject to program parameters and funding disbursements by the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Technical assistance will be provided as needed to guide participants through the application process.

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To better serve residents interested in our SHIP-funded Down Payment Assistance and Purchase Assistance programs, we will offer walk-in office hours every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at our main office. In addition, our staff will be available for application assistance and to answer any SHIP-related questions at public locations (to be announced) on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday and Thursday of each month, also from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. This assistance is currently planned to be available through the end of the year, unless a continued need is identified. Please visit our website regularly for updates on these outreach locations and other important program information.

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Contractors who are interested in participating in our housing rehabilitation program are encouraged to apply to become an approved contractor. Applications and additional information are available on our website. We welcome qualified and licensed contractors to partner with us in improving housing opportunities within our community.

 

The local contact for Sarasota County’s SHIP Program:

Housing Enhancement and Redevelopment Office (HERO)

Erica Henry, Program Manager

Lisa Scott, Affordable Housing Coordinator

4510 Fruitville Road, 2nd Floor

Sarasota, FL 34232

Email: SHIP@scgov.net

                  Phone: 941-861-5346                   

Website: www.herosrq.net/ship

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​​All SHIP funds will be expended in a manner which will ensure that there will be no discrimination on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, age, sex, marital status, familial status, national origin or handicap.