$280M in Mortgage Relief Available to Ohio Homeowners

Eligible homeowners in Ohio can get up to $25,000 to pay delinquent and future mortgage payments.

By , Attorney · University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Update: As of November 1, 2023, the Save the Dream Ohio program discussed below is closed. Applications submitted by 5:00 p.m. on October 31, 2023, will be reviewed.

In early 2021, President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law. This law created a Homeowner Assistance Fund, a federal program, to give around $10 billion to the states to help households behind on their mortgages and other housing expenses due to COVID-19.

Eligible homeowners in Ohio who've experienced a financial hardship because of COVID-19 can get a portion of the approximately $280 million allocated to the state—up to $25,000 per household—by applying to the Save the Dream Ohio program. This program uses federal money to help homeowners pay their mortgage payments.

What Costs Will the Save the Dream Ohio Program Cover?

You can use money from the Save the Dream Ohio program to pay past-due mortgage payments and up to six months of upcoming mortgage payments.

The program will also pay delinquent property taxes if the taxes are escrowed. If you pay property taxes separate from your mortgage payment, you can apply to get assistance from the Save the Dream Ohio—Utility Assistance Plus program (see below).

Eligibility Requirements for the Save the Dream Ohio Program

To qualify for relief from this program, you must have suffered a financial hardship (a material reduction in income or an increase in living expenses) after January 21, 2020, because of COVID-19. You also have to meet these guidelines.

  • The property must be owner-occupied and located in Ohio.
  • The property must be your primary residence. Second homes, investment properties, and vacant properties don't qualify.
  • You must own a one- to four-unit home, such as a single-family dwelling, duplex, triplex, or quadruplex.
  • Your household income must be at or below the program's income eligibility threshold.

To find out if you're eligible, take the prescreening quiz.

How the Save the Dream Ohio Program Works

Payments from the program go directly to the loan servicer or other approved entity, not to homeowners.

How to Apply to the Save the Dream Ohio Program

Go to savethedream.ohiohome.org or call 888-404-4674 to apply for assistance. You'll have to provide some documentation with your application, like mortgage statements, proof of income (such as pay stubs or tax returns), and a government-issued ID (like a driver's license).

Avoid Homeowner Assistance Fund Scams

Be wary if you get an unsolicited offer by phone, mail, email, or text message offering mortgage relief or foreclosure rescue services. Scammers sometimes target homeowners who've been affected by COVID-19.

Homeowner Assistance Fund programs are free. If anyone asks you to pay a fee to get housing counseling or to receive foreclosure prevention services from this program, it's a scam.

If you suspect fraud associated with the Ohio Save the Dream program, you can:

  • report it to CAManager@ohiohome.org
  • call 888-404-4674, or
  • contact the Ohio Auditor of State's Fraud Hotline at 866-372-8364.

Learn More About the Save the Dream Ohio Program

If you need help with the application process or have questions about the Save the Dream Ohio program, call 888-404-4674 and check the program FAQs. Also, review these additional homeowner resources.

You may also get help from a HUD-approved housing counselor who will assist you at no cost. To find a counselor near you, go to HUD's website or call 800-569-4287.