See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 8, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Cleveland, OH (2026)

Population: 362,656 | Median home price: $125,000 | Est. closing costs: $2,500 - $4,000

Cleveland is Ohio's second-largest city and the seat of Cuyahoga County, with a median home price around $125,000 making it one of the most affordable major cities in the country. The city's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI) provides up to $20,000 in forgivable down payment assistance for homes in designated revitalization neighborhoods. Employees of Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, or University Hospitals can access the Greater Circle Living Home Purchase Program, offering up to $30,000 in forgivable DPA. At the state level, OHFA's Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance provides 3% to 3.5% of the purchase price as a forgivable loan, and the FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program offers grants of $10,000 to $20,000. By combining local and state programs, Cleveland buyers can potentially stack significant assistance well beyond their home's purchase price.

City Programs in Cleveland

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Cleveland Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI) DPA	Forgivable Loan	Up to $20,000 toward down payment and closing costs	No	View →

Cleveland Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI) DPA

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000 toward down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

State Programs in Ohio

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Communities First Ohio Down Payment Assistance (The Port)	Grant	3%, 4%, or 5% of the purchase price as a grant toward down payment and closing costs	No	View →
FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program	Grant	Grants of $10,000 to $20,000; up to $25,000 for veterans, active-duty military, and surviving spouses	Yes	View →
OHFA Grants for Grads	Forgivable Loan	3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate	Yes	View →
OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit	Tax Credit	Federal tax credit of 40% of annual mortgage interest paid, up to $2,000 per year (with OHFA loan). 15-20% with other lenders.	Yes	View →
OHFA Ohio Heroes	Forgivable Loan	3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate	Yes	View →
OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance	Forgivable Loan	3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price	Yes	View →

Communities First Ohio Down Payment Assistance (The Port)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: 3%, 4%, or 5% of the purchase price as a grant toward down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Grants of $10,000 to $20,000; up to $25,000 for veterans, active-duty military, and surviving spouses
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Grants for Grads

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Mortgage Tax Credit

Type:: Tax Credit
Amount:: Federal tax credit of 40% of annual mortgage interest paid, up to $2,000 per year (with OHFA loan). 15-20% with other lenders.
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Ohio Heroes

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price, plus a discounted mortgage interest rate
First-time only:: Yes

OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: 3% for Conventional loans or 3.5% for Government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the purchase price
First-time only:: Yes

Federal Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHA Loans	Government-Insured Mortgage	Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)	No	View →
Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)	Government Property Sale Program	50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes	Yes	View →
Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HUD $100 Down Program	FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase	Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.	No	View →
USDA Rural Development Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value	No	View →
VA Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)	No	View →

FHA Loans

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HUD $100 Down Program

Type:: FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase
Amount:: Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.
First-time only:: No

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Nonprofit Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Greater Circle Living Home Purchase Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $20,000 in down payment assistance; employees with household income under $150,000 may qualify for an additional $10,000, for a potential total of up to $30,000	No	View →
Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Homes sold at no profit with 0% interest mortgages. Minimal down payment and closing costs required.	No	View →

Greater Circle Living Home Purchase Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000 in down payment assistance; employees with household income under $150,000 may qualify for an additional $10,000, for a potential total of up to $30,000
First-time only:: No

Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Homes sold at no profit with 0% interest mortgages. Minimal down payment and closing costs required.
First-time only:: No

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. OHFA state programs have county-specific income limits — visit myohiohome.org to check Cuyahoga County limits. The Cleveland NTI program has no income restriction but is limited to specific neighborhoods. Greater Circle Living requires employment at a participating anchor institution.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. CHN Housing Partners offers HUD-certified Homebuyer Basics courses — call (216) 881-8443 to register. Benjamin Rose also provides free HUD-certified pre-purchase counseling and homebuyer education classes in Cleveland.

Step 3: Determine which neighborhood programs apply to you. If you're buying in Glenville-Circle North, Buckeye-Woodhill, East 79th Street corridor, or Clark-Fulton, contact the City of Cleveland Department of Community Development about NTI DPA. If you work at Cleveland Clinic, CWRU, or University Hospitals, contact your HR department about Greater Circle Living.

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Contact an OHFA-approved lender to explore state DPA options alongside your first mortgage. Find participating lenders at myohiohome.org.

Step 5: Find a home within program limits. NTI assistance applies only to new-construction or newly renovated homes in designated neighborhoods. OHFA purchase price limits vary by county.

Step 6: Submit your applications. Work with your lender, the City of Cleveland, and any applicable program administrators to submit all necessary paperwork. Many programs have limited funding, so act quickly once pre-approved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Cleveland?+

Cleveland buyers have access to multiple stackable programs. The city's NTI program offers up to $20,000 in forgivable assistance for homes in designated neighborhoods. Employees of Cleveland Clinic, CWRU, or University Hospitals can receive up to $30,000 through Greater Circle Living. OHFA's Your Choice! DPA adds 3% to 3.5% of the purchase price (about $3,750 to $4,375 on a $125,000 home). The FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program provides grants of $10,000 to $20,000. Depending on eligibility, you could receive more assistance than the home's purchase price.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?+

It depends on the program. OHFA state programs generally require first-time buyer status (no homeownership in the past 3 years), though veterans and buyers in targeted areas are often exempt. The Cleveland NTI program and Greater Circle Living do not require first-time buyer status. Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity also does not strictly require first-time buyer status.

What is the maximum home price I can pay?+

OHFA purchase price limits vary by county and are updated periodically — check ohiohome.org/limits for current Cuyahoga County limits. The Cleveland NTI program and Greater Circle Living do not impose separate purchase price caps. Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity homes are priced based on construction costs and are typically well below market value.

What homebuyer education is required?+

OHFA and FHLB Welcome Home programs require HUD-approved homebuyer education. In Cleveland, CHN Housing Partners offers HUD-certified Homebuyer Basics courses at (216) 881-8443. Benjamin Rose provides free HUD-certified pre-purchase counseling and classes. Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity requires completion of homeownership classes as part of their program.

Are there special programs for Cleveland Clinic or university employees?+

Yes. The Greater Circle Living Home Purchase Program provides up to $20,000 in forgivable down payment assistance for eligible employees of Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and University Hospitals. Employees with household income under $150,000 may qualify for an additional $10,000, for up to $30,000 total. The home must be in one of nine eligible neighborhoods near University Circle.

Which Cleveland neighborhoods qualify for city DPA?+

The Cleveland Neighborhood Transformation Initiative (NTI) provides up to $20,000 in forgivable DPA for homes in Glenville-Circle North, Buckeye-Woodhill, East 79th Street corridor, and Clark-Fulton. The Greater Circle Living program covers Buckeye-Shaker, Central-Midtown, Fairfax, Glenville, Hough, Little Italy, St. Clair-Superior, University Circle, and Southwest East Cleveland. If you are buying outside these areas, you can still use OHFA state programs and FHLB Welcome Home grants.

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