Welcome Home Ohio - Sandusky
NOW SEEKING HOME BUYERS!
With support from the Ohio Department of Development, The City of Sandusky has partnered with Community Building Partners and NeighborWorks Toledo Region to develop new new and affordable single-family homes for purchase in the City of Sandusky.
Why
We know housing availability is scarce-and housing affordability is an increasing hurdle in Ohio. Working with development partners, the City applied for a grant from the state to build new homes for purchase.
When
Predevelopment is underway to build homes on 14 lots identified by the city that were held within their land bank. Over the course of the next 18 months, we expect to build more than 30 homes for purchase. The first homes will be available in early 2025.
How
The homes are available for buyers that meet specific income and participation requirements. Potential buyers that meet the income requirements must be prequalified for a loan and sign up for a financial literacy program provided by our project partners.
Join us to learn more at our Potential Buyer Open House!
January 25th from 10AM – 12PM at the downtown Civista bank
100 E Water Street, Sandusky, Ohio 44870
Introducing The Home Types
Each home will be over 1,300 square feet, with three bedrooms, 2 baths, and a front porch. Finishes have be curated to reflect a cohesive and modern design with attention to quality, durability, and aesthetic appeal. Each home will have one of four finish packages. Check our selection of products and components below.
(1) White Birch
(2) Graphite Grey
(3) Twilight
(4) Java
Home Locations
Predevelopment has begun for the following addresses. By selecting any of the addresses or the photo below, you can learn more about each site and follow its progress.
More Details
Welcome Home Ohio and Welcome Home Sandusky
The Ohio Department of Development’s Welcome Home Ohio (WHO) grant program provides $100 million in General Revenue Funds for grants and $50 million in nonrefundable tax credits to increase affordable housing in Ohio communities. The first round provided awards to projects in 17 counties for an amount of $29.5 million.
The City of Sandusky was awarded $3.5 million for the development of 14 new single-family homes and $90,000 for Habitat for Humanity rehabilitation projects. 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 housing.
This project is an innovative model for adding value to neighborhoods and addressing the increasing barriers to homeownership for working families. The WHO grant funding will significantly reduce the sale price to homebuyers, making the homes affordable to families at or below 80% AMI.
Like most US cities, Sandusky is challenged with the need for housing units, with the greatest gap in availability recognized for individuals of modest income. Through multiple processes (foreclosure, private purchase, and donation) the City of Sandusky has successfully pursued and assumed ownership of various buildable lots. The acquisition of such has been done to make way for housing development of all types. The Welcome Home Ohio Program will assist in fulfilling this goal and we are grateful to the State of Ohio for providing this valuable resource.
The City of Sandusky
Located along the Sandusky Bay shoreline, Sandusky has been named the Best Coastal Small Town in America! This growing destination is home to world class amusement park, Cedar Point, and is known as Ohio’s Water Park Capital due to the popularity of year-round indoor water park resorts.
In season, ferries and island-hopping cruises depart from downtown daily, including an international ferry terminal offering daily trips to Canada’s Pelee island. Sandusky surprises with its beautiful parks, downtown architecture, and wealth of history, including its role in the Underground Railroad. Downtown Sandusky offers delicious dining options, quaint shops, art galleries, numerous attractions, and the historic Sandusky State Theatre.
Sandusky is the county seat and most densely populated city in Erie County. While best known as the home of the amusement park, Sandusky developed as an industrial Lake Erie port town. Much of that history remains evident in the bones of our region and echoes through the present in every corner of the city.
Welcome Home Great Lakes LLC And Other Affiliates
Community Building Partners empowers communities by repurposing the tools of business and development and sharing the benefits with nonprofit partners and community organizations.
Our expertise in large-scale development, construction management, brownfield remediation, historic preservation, and innovative project finance lays the foundation for our work. We help our partners build their capacity through development advisory services and collaborative research and unite environmental stewardship, community investment, and exceptional design to bridge the gap from vision to execution.
A nonprofit with a proven track record in catalyzing homeownership opportunities through homeownership support and engagement, NeighborWorks Toledo has considerable experience with affordable housing development. During the years, they have focused on preserving affordable housing by becoming the managing partner of six separate partnerships, holding a total of 152 single family homes. In addition to being a member of the development team, NeighborWorks Toledo will also provide financial literacy programming for future homebuyers.
Construction financing is supported by Civista Bank. Civista Bank also invites potential home buyers to seek prequalification through their Sandusky headquarters. While homeowner financing through Civista is not required to participate in the program, Welcome Home Great Lakes, LLC will be partnering with Civista to contact their list of prequalified buyers to gather interested participants.
Headquartered in Sandusky, Ohio, Civista Bank is the banking subsidiary of Civista Bancshares, Inc., a financial holding company with assets of approximately $3.7 billion. As a full-service financial institution, Civista understands the importance of building strong communities and supports a variety of economic, educational, cultural, health, and human service initiatives within the communities they serve. Civista has also expressed interest in serving as a mortgage lending partner for the program. Civista is committed to making home buying a reality through practices that foster responsible home ownership, offering a variety of programs that promote affordability and flexibility for both returning and first-time homebuyers. With a successful Welcome Home Ohio grant application, we intend to leverage these resources with Civista’s existing grant programs such as the Civista Community View Home Loan and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati’s Welcome Home Loan Program.
Unibilt is a family-owned and operated, nationally recognized leader in the modular home industry and has built more than 12,000 homes. They pride themselves on being rooted in mid-western values of hard work, honesty, and fairness. The company has been built on long-term relationships, using many of the same high-quality product vendors for nearly four decades. Their modular construction improves the efficiency of the construction process, and reduces waste making it both a more cost-effective and more sustainable mode of construction than traditional stick build.
Steps to Acquire a Home
EligibilIty
An individual or household must meet and agree to all the following criteria:
- Have a maximum annual income of 80% area median income (AMI) or lower at time of purchase
- Have the ability to obtain mortgage for home purchase
- Commit to residency in home for at least five years
- Agree to 20 year deed restriction and additional terms listed below
- Agree to participate in financial literacy for one year
- Agree to State of Ohio Director of Development as third-party beneficiary of purchase agreement
Terms
- Homebuyer must occupy the home as a primary residence and not rent any portion of it for five years after purchase.
- If sold within 20 years after purchase, the new homebuyer must be at or below 80% AMI.
- All homes will have a deed restriction
Financial Literacy Modules
I. Know Your Rights
The facilitator provides information addressing Fair Housing issues, identifying fair housing discrimination examples, and information on tenant rights and obligations.
II. Importance of Inspection
Overview of the home inspection process including items to look out for during the buying process.
III. Are You Ready to Buy a Home
General overview of the homeownership process. NTRs role in that process and the next steps.
IV. Managing Your Money
Budgeting overview, showing the importance of following a budget both pre and post purchase.
V. Obtaining a Mortgage Loan
Overview of the lending process and the criteria the local lenders are looking for to extend credit.
VI. Shopping For a Home
A real estate agent walks participants through their role in the home buying process.
VII. Understanding Credit - FICO
Overview of credit, how to maintain credit and the importance of maintaining good credit post home purchase.
VIII. Protecting Your Investment
Home insurance overview, what is generally covered by a policy. Seasonal maintenance and general maintenance review to help save money and protect their home for the future.
IX. Department of Utilities
Advice on how to reduce energy use, conserve energy and make the home more energy efficient.
X. Mortgage Documents
Review of all mortgage documents helping participants to understand what the documents they will be given/ asked to sign are saying.
XI. Wrap-Up and Certificates
Completion of the program.
Commonly asked questions
Is the buyer able to rent a portion of the home after the five-year occupancy period?
Yes. However, the eligible individual must maintain the home as their primary residence.
Are there hardship exemptions for the occupancy requirement penalties?
Development may waive penalties if it is determined that payment would consititute a haerdship to the homeowner. Hardships may include divorce, disability, illness, loss of income, and any other hardship supported by documentation and approved by Development.
Must the homebuyer remain at or below 80% AMI during the 20-tear affordability timeframe?
No, the homebuyer must be at or below 80% AMI in order to be eleigble to purchase the house; however, after the date of sale, their income will not be reverified.
Does the deed restriction prevent the original homebuyer from building equity since the sale price of the property needs to remain affordable for 20 years?
No. The deed restriction ensures the property remains affordable and owner-occupied. This prevents corporations or landlords from buying these properties at prices far greater than locals interested in homeownership would be able to afford.
Interested in becoming a homeowner, or have any questions? Contact us below!
This project is using local trades to complete the construction for each house. If are a contractor interested in learning more, please fill out the box below!
