Miami-Dade Opens September Application Window for Working-Family Homeownership Program
Miami-Dade County’s Welcome H.O.M.E. initiative is scheduled to begin accepting online applications Tuesday, September 1, 2026, giving eligible individuals and households a chance to enter a public lottery for the selection order to buy one of three newly constructed homes in County Commission District 9.
The application period is scheduled to run through September 30, 2026, but it may close earlier once 200 qualified applications are received. Prospective applicants should prepare before the window opens rather than assume it will remain available through the end of the month.
Who may qualify
Welcome H.O.M.E. is a Miami-Dade County program, not a City of Miami-only housing offering. Applicants must intend to live in the home as their primary residence. The county program page says individuals or households earning up to 140% of the Area Median Income, or AMI, are encouraged to apply.
Only one application is permitted per household. Applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted. The county says there is no cost to apply and advises applicants not to pay anyone to assist with the application process.
How the lottery works
Applicants first complete a prescreening application and submit documentation to confirm eligibility. Qualified applicants are then entered into a randomized public lottery to determine the order of selection for the three available homes.
The county says the process remains open for 30 days or until the first 200 qualified applications are received, whichever occurs first. Applicants will be ranked from 1 to 10. The top six applicants will have 60 days to qualify to purchase through a lender or banking institution. If any of the top three cannot qualify during that period, the next applicant on the list may be contacted.
Lottery placement does not guarantee a home. Because only three homes are available, an applicant could complete the eligibility and lottery process without receiving an opportunity to purchase.
What applicants should prepare
MDEAT encourages prospective buyers to review the Welcome H.O.M.E. eligibility roadmap and gather household-income documentation before applying. The trust also recommends completing an eight-hour HUD-certified homebuyer counseling course and obtaining a preapproval letter from an accredited lender or lending institution.
Those steps may improve a household’s readiness, but they do not replace the county’s eligibility screening or the lender’s final financing decision.
Assistance may be available
MDEAT says down-payment assistance of up to $150,000 may be available, subject to the availability of funds. The homes must still be purchased through financing; they are not free homes or automatic awards for lottery participants.
Since the homes are in District 9, potential buyers should separately evaluate commuting needs, schools, services and neighborhood conditions before moving forward. Applicants should check the official Welcome H.O.M.E. program page for current instructions, requirements and availability when applications open.
Questions can be directed to MDEAT using the contact information provided on the county’s official program page.
Sources
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