NOW SEEKING HOME BUYERS!
About Welcome Home Athens
The City of Athens was awarded $2 million for the development of 8 new single-family homes. The city partnered with Community Building Partners to build the homes through the Welcome Home program.
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.
Predevelopment is underway to build homes on 8 lots identified by the city land bank. The first homes will be available in 2026. Through a revolving fund program, the construction and sale of each home will power the construction of the next. Over the course of the next 18 months, we expect to build more than 16 homes for purchase.
The homes are available for buyers who meet the program’s income and participation requirements.
Eligibility
The individual or purchasing household must have a maximum annual income of 80% area median income (AMI) or lower at time of purchase. Compare your household size to your income below.Â
Program Requirements:Â
- Have the ability to obtain a mortgage of $180,000 for home purchase
- Commit to residency in the home for at least five years
- Agree to a 20-year deed restriction: If sold within 20 years after purchase, the new homebuyer must be at or below 80% AMI.
- Agree to participate in financial literacy for one year
- Homebuyer must occupy the home as a primary residence and not rent any portion of it for five years after purchase.
- Agree to the State of Ohio Director of Development as a third-party beneficiary of the purchase agreement
About the Homes
Homes will fill in a vacant lot off Morris Ave, near the Salvation Army. Features include:Â
- 1,450 Sq Ft
- 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths
- Appliances incl. Washer, Dryer, Dishwasher, Electric Range and Oven, Fridge, and Microwave
- High-Efficiency Heating/Cooling
- 2-car garage
- 2nd story balcony
- Limited Ranch-style floorplan available
More information will be available soon.Â
Home Concept
We’re still fine-tuning the details, so what you’re seeing here isn’t the final version. Draft renderings and floor plans are shown for illustrative purposes only.Â
Ready to Start? Contact us!
We’re here to answer questions and walk you through every step of the home buying process!
Call or text our phone number: 614-233-1215
Email us:Â welcomehome@praxia-partners.com
Interested in becoming a homeowner, or have any questions?
Contact us below!
This project has the goal of utilizing local trades to complete the construction for each house. If you are a contractor who is interested in learning more, please fill out the form below!
Meet the teams
Welcome Home Ohio and Welcome Home Athens
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.
Like most US cities, Athens 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 Athens 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 Athens
Nestled in the scenic foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Athens has earned a reputation as one of Ohio’s most vibrant and eclectic small towns! This dynamic college town is home to the historic Ohio University and is known for its artistic energy, progressive spirit, and deep sense of community.
Year-round, Athens buzzes with festivals, live music, and outdoor adventures. The city is a hub for regional hiking and biking trails, including access to the beautiful Hocking Hills, and offers a thriving local food scene fueled by nearby farms and the beloved Athens Farmers Market. Its charming Uptown district features independent bookstores, farm-to-table restaurants, coffee shops, and local art galleries that reflect the creativity of its residents.
Athens is the county seat and cultural heart of Athens County. While known today for its academic and artistic atmosphere, the city’s roots run deep—from its Indigenous heritage to its role in the coal mining boom and labor movements of Southeast Ohio. That legacy continues to shape Athens, where tradition and innovation walk hand-in-hand down brick-lined streets.
Community Building Partners
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.
Unibilt Construction
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.
