JWB announced that it's distributing $20,000 to eight families to help with down payments for homes. | JWB
Published on October 15, 2025 at 2:00 pm
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Local property firm JWB Real Estate Capital is helping some of its renters with down payments to buy their own homes as a way to address Jacksonville’s affordable housing crisis.
The company’s down payment assistance program, JWB Cares, announced Tuesday that its Welcome Home Fund is distributing $20,000 to each of eight families for down payments.
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Clay County renter Pamela Jackson was one of the recipients.
“I told them my whole story,” Jackson said. “Unfortunately, in January of this year I was laid off from my job. I worked in the mortgage industry for five years. I’ve struggled with various health conditions and so I’m disabled, and my son has challenges as well.”
Jackson has been renting with JWB properties for 2½ years and wants to buy the right home for her family. She explained that she’ll work with a JWB Realtor and at the closing table, the $20,000 in JWB funds will apply.
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Jackson also earned $3,600 more dollars for her down payment by participating in JWB’s Home Step Program, announced last year. Under that program, renters can earn $100 in equity per month, up to a total of $3,600. Then they can apply the accumulated equity toward closing costs when buying any home through JWB Realty.
What is JWB?
JWB’s property management company currently manages more than 5,600 rental homes in Northeast Florida. JWB’s nonprofit charitable arm, JWB Cares, is funded through employee donations, vendors and its annual golf tournament.
The company last spring announced the launch of its Welcome Home Fund as a competitive process for assistance with a down payment. A total of 450 people sent in applications.
Applicants had to demonstrate financial need and a commitment to giving back to the Jacksonville community, which Jackson says she did by involving herself in community projects through her church.
Jackson said she was living paycheck to paycheck when she applied in July. An independent volunteer panel chose 40 finalists, and a committee of nonprofit leaders selected the final eight recipients. They included single mothers and a victim of human trafficking.
“We don’t have a house picked out yet, but we have some needs in mind,” said Jackson, who expressed gratitude to JWB and its sponsors for the opportunity to “see the light” at the end of her homeownership tunnel.
