Tampa helped 71 people buy homes during the 2026 fiscal year, awarding $5.31 million in down payment and closing-cost assistance, including East Tampa redevelopment funding, and surpassing its previous annual record of 70 closings.
The money came through the city’s Dare to Own the Dream (DARE) Homeownership Program and assistance from the East Tampa Community Redevelopment Area, which help eligible first-time buyers purchase homes within Tampa city limits. Qualified buyers can receive up to $50,000 toward a down payment and closing costs, depending on household income and other eligibility requirements.
The city announced the results Wednesday, Oct. 28, bringing its total since Mayor Jane Castor took office in 2019 to 426 completed home purchases and nearly $20 million in assistance. Those figures include East Tampa CRA funding, although the announcement did not specify how much of the assistance came from each funding source.
Among the homeowners was Oscar Beasley, who spent 24 years in prison before his release in 2015, earned his commercial driver’s license and now works full-time as a truck driver. He wanted to buy a home he could eventually leave to his children and three grandchildren.
“I always wanted to do something for my children, they’re grown now, but I have three grandchildren, and I wanted to do something for them,” Beasley said in the city’s announcement. “We’re all going to leave this world one day, but I want to leave something behind for them.”
For first-time buyers who qualify, the DARE program also provides homebuyer education, counseling and professional guidance to help residents prepare for a purchase and complete the closing process. The assistance applies to homes purchased within Tampa city limits, with the amount available determined by household income and program eligibility requirements.
Applications for Tampa’s DARE Homeownership Program remain open to eligible first-time buyers, according to the city’s Oct. 28 announcement, as the program begins another year following its record 71 closings. The city did not specify how much funding remains available for additional home purchases.