The City of Sandusky and Community Building Partners announced today that the Welcome Home Sandusky program has raised its income eligibility limit, allowing more families to qualify to purchase a new home through the program.  

The City of Sandusky and Community Building Partners announced today that the Welcome Home Sandusky program has raised its income eligibility limit, allowing more families to qualify to purchase a new home through the program.   Effective today, households earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) are now eligible. The expansion brings Sandusky's program in line with current Welcome Home Ohio guidelines. The city's grant was awarded in an earlier round, when the income cap was set at 80% AMI. The state has since raised the limit for newer grant rounds, and the city is now matching that standard as it continues development beyond its original grant obligations.  "The response to this program has been wonderful, and raising the income limit only broadens our reach,” said Colleen Gilson, Sandusky’s Director of Community Development. “Our buyers have been a pleasure to work with and we look forward to connecting even more families to affordable homes in Sandusky."  To date, 15 families have entered purchase contracts for new homes, fulfilling the city's obligations under the original Welcome Home Ohio grant. As the program moves into its next phase, using proceeds from completed sales to develop additional homes, the city and Community Building Partners have agreed to extend eligibility to a broader pool of buyers.  New income limits by household size are as follows:  Household Size - Maximum Annual Income 1 person - $88,200 2 persons - $100,800 3 persons - $113,400 4 persons - $126,000 5 persons - $136,080 6 persons - $146,160  Under the new guidelines, buyers who previously qualified still do. All other program requirements remain in place. Prospective buyers must complete a year of financial literacy training, agree to a 20-year deed restriction, and obtain pre-approval for a mortgage of $160,000–$180,000.  The homes, constructed by Unibilt, are three-bedroom, two-bathroom prefabricated units of more than 1,300 square feet, built on city-owned land bank lots and Erie County Land Bank properties across Sandusky.  Residents interested in learning more can visit WelcomeHomeSandusky.com.