Systems and methods for balancing maintenance and programming host data across multiple maintenance source blocks in a non-volatile memory are disclosed. A memory system may include non-volatile memory and a controller configured to execute one or more of the steps of selecting a fixed plurality of maintenance source blocks for executing a balance cycle of maintenance and host writes across the selected fixed plurality of maintenance source blocks. The method interleaves moving of valid data from source blocks with host data writes to achieve a balance of free space generation and consumption for the balance cycle, while periodically reevaluating an overall interleave ratio and/or substituting other previously programmed blocks for one of the previously selected plurality during the balance cycle.