The City of Sandusky and Community Building Partners are celebrating the success of Sandusky’s Welcome Home Program through the Ohio Department of Development’s WHO funds, and announcing an evolution to the program.
This evolution to the program will expand the accessibility, so even more families will be eligible. New participants can now earn up to 120% of the area median income, adjusted for family size. Charts below show the maximum household incomes. Buyers who were eligible before will remain eligible.
The original program, which has so far connected 15 new homebuyers with forever homes, was targeted at homebuyers who earn at or below 80% of Erie County’s area median income, adjusted for family size. The program is designed to meet the area’s urgent need for workforce housing.
The city was awarded the Welcome Home Ohio grant from the State of Ohio Department of Development grant. Using an innovative fund-recycling model, the city has funds remaining from the grant. Now, that grant money can continue to be used to serve even more of Sandusky’s residents.
The rise to include buyers at 120% AMI meets the State of Ohio’s current standards for the Welcome Home Ohio grant for 2026. The rest of the program will stay the same. The sale price of the home will remain $160,000. Current homes in the program have appraised between $260,000-$290,000, meaning buyers begin their homeowning journey with $100,000 of instant equity.
Other program requirements will remain as well, including 1-year of required financial literacy for the homebuyer, a 5-year commitment to residency and a 20-year deed restriction, which ensures the home stays affordable if the buyer sells it.
The funding and requirements for these homes came from the State of Ohio Department of Development’s Welcome Home Ohio Grant. In 2024, the City of Sandusky was awarded $3.5 million for the development of 14 new single-family homes. The city partnered with Welcome Home Great Lakes LLC, a development team consisting of NeighborWorks Toledo Region and Community Building Partners, to produce the new homes.
The homes will still be 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom two-story homes, with a basement and a front porch. The homes will be built on city-owned lots scattered throughout Sandusky. All interested homebuyers who meet the income requirements are encouraged to begin the homebuying process by getting pre-approved for a mortgage. To learn more about the program, interested parties can visit WelcomeHomeSandusky.com, or contact the Welcome Home team at 216-233-1215.
New May 2026 Income Limits
| Household Size (including children) | Maximum Household income (workers aged 18+) |
| 1 person | 88,2000 |
| 2 persons | 100,800 |
| 3 persons | 113,400 |
| 4 persons | 126,000 |
| 5 persons | 136,080 |
| 6 persons | 146,160 |
Comparison Chart
| Welcome Home Sandusky Program following State of Ohio Guidelines (first 15 homes) | Welcome Home Sandusky Program May 2026 evolution |
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