Stories of Home

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency is proud to present Stories of Home – a blog that features current happenings in the housing industry and also highlights those that have been positively impacted by our Agency's work.

Broadband Access in New Construction
Posted on September 30, 2021
Broadband infrastructure has been a hot topic over the last two years, particularly as the pandemic underscored just how many people do not have access to high speed internet. The subject aligns with OHFA's work to provide quality, safe, and affordable housing options for Ohioans.
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Ohio's Homeowner Assistance Plan
Posted on June 29, 2021
President Biden announced the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which would provide relief to Americans impacted by COVID. The Homeowners Assistance Plan provides funding for each state and other territories to provide additional relief to those struggling to make payments toward their mortgages and/or other financial obligations related to their home.
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The Power of Home
Posted on June 14, 2021
In this podcast episode, the Power of Home pilot program is discussed as it aims to support OHFA's first-time homeowners by providing free education and financial tools through the Keep app.
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Lease Purchase Home Sales
Posted on May 26, 2021
The Lease Purchase program pairs homeowner education and economic support to renters, allowing them to purchase their home after a 15-year compliance period has ended. Roughly half the homes have reached the end of their compliance period and are ready to be sold to residents or other income-qualified tenants. What has happened to the homes that have sold?
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Advice and Support for Homeowners Post-Purchase
Posted on May 12, 2021
It's amazing to have a place to call your own. It also means unexpected home repairs and hidden home maintenance costs. Power of Home is a new initiative that aims to help homeowners in many of those areas by giving them the tools to increase homeownership sustainability.
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Ohio vs Neighboring States: A Housing Comparison
Posted on May 5, 2021
Knowing how Ohio stacks up against other states provides additional insight into the housing landscape. Compared to similar states, including Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, how does Ohio fare in providing affordable and accessible housing?
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Reducing Infant Mortality through Housing Assistance
Posted on April 29, 2021
Our latest podcast discusses the Healthy Beginnings at Home program – a housing stabilization pilot program for pregnant women in Columbus, OH, COVID-19 impacts, racial disparities in pregnancy & more.
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Fair Housing Discrimination in Ohio
Posted on April 14, 2021
April is Fair Housing Month, which highlights our nation's obligation to ensure that everyone has equal access to safe, affordable housing. However, housing discrimination still occurs. In 2020 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development closed 436 Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity cases filed by Ohio residents.
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Increasing Education Prospects and Earning Potential for LIHTC Property Residents
Posted on March 31, 2021
Researchers found roughly a quarter of all matched adult OHFA tenants had some postsecondary education or training from a public college or technical center in Ohio and that higher education or training was related to higher wages at each level.
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Building Equity Through Source of Income Protection
Posted on March 17, 2021
Source of income (SOI) discrimination is a practice by which landlords, owners, and real estate brokers refuse to rent to prospective tenants seeking to pay for housing with housing assistance vouchers, subsidies, or other forms of public assistance.
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