Welcoming homes to the city

SANDUSKY — Those representing Sandusky's government and Community Building Partners celebrated a major milestone on Wednesday. Their crews completed the first two homes through Sandusky's Welcome Home Ohio Program, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony helped celebrate this long-awaited moment. The event took place at neighboring properties on Pierce Street, 1815 and 1817, where community members, local officials and new homeowners gathered to mark the occasion. "Realizing the dream of homeownership takes many partners," said Colleen Gilson, Sandusky's community development director. "We're proud to bring the Welcome Home Ohio program to our community," Gilson added. "We congratulate those who have already taken steps toward buying a home, and we encourage anyone still unsure to reach out and learn more." Program partners In 2024, Sandusky's government previously received $3.6 million through the Ohio Department of Development's Welcome Home Ohio program to construct 14 new single-family homes. "The need for safe and affordable housing is a national challenge that requires proactive solutions, meaningful investments and strong collaboration across all levels of government," said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who approved this program. "This program represents an innovative and forward-thinking approach that addresses the barriers many Ohioans face when trying to buy a home." The city partnered with Welcome Home Great Lakes, a team made up of Community Building Partners and NeighborWorks Toledo Region, to deliver the project. "We are honored to be a part of this program," partners CEO Joe Recchie said. "Homeownership is the foundation of the American dream. The Welcome Home program shows the vision of the city and the state in making that dream accessible for its residents right here in Sandusky." For years now, Sandusky has faced extreme challenges "with the need for housing units with the greatest gap in availability recognized for individuals of modest income," according to a city memo. There's both a lack of available and affordable housing across Sandusky, according to a recent study. Sandusky officials expressed deep appreciation toward DeWine and others providing the city with these funds. This award serves as a massive step forward in addressing these uphill battles many Sandusky residents face, local officials said. "Housing is a priority of the city commissioners and city administration," Sandusky city manager John Orzech said. "We know housing is an important issue in our city, as it is across the country. Of course, this project won't solve the issue overnight, but it's a good step in the right direction in bringing more housing to Sandusky." Laying out the homes Built by Unibilt in Vandalia, Ohio, the Pierce Street homes: • Were constructed as modular units in a factory • Delivered to Sandusky • Set on new foundations before crews applied final finishes • Total more than 1,300 square feet • Feature three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a front porch • Finished with a modern style, "using materials that are built to last and easy to maintain," a city statement read Both Pierce Street homes mark the first such structures completed in this program with more houses already under construction and additional sites planned across the city. Others should appear similar to the Pierce Street homes. These houses and other forthcoming structures are being built on city-owned land bank lots with additional sites provided through a partnership with the Erie County land bank. 'Putting down roots' Visitors at Wednesday's event toured the homes, which will soon welcome their new owners. "The Welcome Home Ohio program has made it possible for me to become a homeowner, something I've always dreamed about but didn't think it was possible," said Romika Brown, owner of one of the new homes on Pierce Street. "I'm so grateful to the city and everyone who worked to build these beautiful homes," Brown said. "I'm looking forward to putting down roots, creating memories and showing my children that their dreams are always within reach." Families with household incomes at or below 80% of the area median income are eligible to purchase these homes at prices reduced by the Welcome Home Ohio Program funding, which significantly lowers the cost of ownership. Construction financing for the project is supported by Civista Bank, a local partner helping connect potential homebuyers with the opportunity to qualify for these new homes. While financing through Civista is not required, the partnership will help identify interested buyers and support the path to homeownership. People can learn more by visiting welcomehomesandusky.com. Bio blast Sandusky's government provided information about both of its partners in this initiative: • 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. Their expertise in large-scale development, construction management, brownfield remediation, historic preservation and innovative project finance lays the foundation for our work. They 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. • NeighborWorks Toledo 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.