What down payment assistance is available in Columbus OH?

Columbus buyers have access to 6+ DPA programs. The City of Columbus ADDI provides up to $14,999 (or up to $19,999 for households at or below 80% AMI) as a forgivable loan after 5 years. OHFA Your Choice! offers 3% to 3.5% of the loan amount, forgiven after 7 years. Communities First Ohio offers a 3% to 5% true grant with no repayment. The FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program provides up to $20,000 as a grant ($25,000 for veterans). OHFA Grants for Grads helps recent college graduates. Credit scores start at 640.

What is the Columbus ADDI program?

The Columbus American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) provides up to $14,999 or 6% of the purchase price (whichever is lower) as a forgivable loan. Households at or below 80% AMI receive up to $5,000 additional, for a total of up to $19,999. Forgiven after 5 years of owner occupancy. First-time buyers only (individual and spouse must not have owned in the past 36 months). Income limit is 120% AMI for standard funding, 80% AMI for HOME-funded projects. Property must be within Columbus corporation limits. Approval takes 4 to 6 weeks.

What is the OHFA Your Choice! DPA program?

OHFA Your Choice! provides 3% of the purchase price for conventional loans or 3.5% for FHA, VA, and USDA loans as a forgivable second mortgage. Forgiven after 7 years. First-time buyers required (exceptions in target areas and for veterans). Credit score of 640 or higher for conventional, VA, and USDA; 650 or higher for FHA. Must use an OHFA-approved lender and complete free homebuyer education.

What is the FHLB Welcome Home Program in Ohio?

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati Welcome Home Program provides up to $20,000 as a true grant for eligible homebuyers ($25,000 for veterans, active military, and surviving spouses). Not a loan. No repayment required beyond a 5-year retention period. Income must be at or below 80% of the Mortgage Revenue Bond limit for the county. No first-time buyer requirement. First-come, first-served. The 2026 program opened April 6, 2026.

Can I combine Columbus ADDI with OHFA programs?

Yes. Columbus ADDI explicitly allows stacking with other DPA programs, excluding other city-funded programs. ADDI can be combined with OHFA Your Choice! for a powerful stack. On a $295,000 purchase: ADDI ($14,999) plus OHFA 3.5% ($10,325) equals approximately $25,000 in combined assistance, covering the full FHA down payment and most closing costs.

What credit score do I need for DPA in Columbus?

OHFA programs require 640 for conventional, VA, and USDA loans; 650 for FHA loans. Columbus ADDI has no program-set credit score minimum but lender standards apply. Communities First Ohio and FHLB Welcome Home have lender-specific requirements. The practical floor for accessing the full range of Columbus DPA programs is 640.

Do I have to be a first-time buyer for Columbus DPA?

Columbus ADDI requires first-time buyer status (no ownership in past 36 months for both individual and spouse). OHFA Your Choice! requires it but waives for veterans and in target areas. Grants for Grads does not require first-time status. Ohio Heroes does not require first-time status. Communities First Ohio does not require first-time status. FHLB Welcome Home does not require first-time status.

What is the FHA loan limit in Columbus?

The FHA loan limit for Franklin County (Columbus) is $591,100 for a single-family home in 2026. Columbus's median home price of approximately $295,000 is well below this limit, meaning all FHA-based DPA programs apply to virtually every home purchase in the metro area.

What is OHFA Grants for Grads?

OHFA Grants for Grads provides 3% or 3.5% DPA for recent college graduates who have earned an associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degree within the past 48 months. The assistance is forgivable after 5 years at 20% per year. No first-time buyer requirement. Buyers must remain in Ohio. This is designed to keep young graduates in the state by making homeownership accessible.

What income limits apply for Columbus DPA?

Columbus ADDI: 120% AMI for standard; 80% AMI for HOME-funded (higher bonus amount). OHFA Your Choice!: varies by county and household size. Communities First Ohio: 115% AMI. FHLB Welcome Home: 80% of MRB limit. Columbus MSA AMI is approximately $104,000 for a family of four. Most first-time buyers in Columbus earning $80,000 to $110,000 qualify for multiple programs simultaneously.

Down Payment Assistance Columbus OH 2026 | 6+ Programs, Up to $19,999 City Grant

Last updated: April 2026 · Program availability changes frequently

Down Payment Assistance in Columbus: Overview

A first-time buyer targeting a $295,000 home in Columbus needs $10,325 for the FHA down payment. That number looks manageable until closing costs enter the picture. Add $8,000 to $11,000 in lender fees, title insurance, prepaid interest, and escrow setup, and the total cash required at closing climbs to $18,000 to $21,000. Coming up with that amount while paying rent is the real barrier. Most Columbus buyers who do not use DPA do not skip it by choice. They simply do not know it exists.

The City of Columbus runs one of the stronger local programs in Ohio. The American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) provides up to $14,999 as a forgivable loan. Buyers at or below 80% AMI receive up to $5,000 more, pushing the city's maximum to $19,999. That covers the entire FHA down payment on a $295,000 home with enough left over to offset the bulk of closing costs. The loan disappears after 5 years of owner occupancy.

On top of the city program, Ohio Housing Finance Agency runs statewide programs that layer on top of the ADDI. OHFA Your Choice! adds 3.5% of the loan amount as a separate forgivable second. On a $295,000 purchase that is approximately $10,325 forgiven after 7 years. Stack them: ADDI ($14,999) plus OHFA ($10,325) equals roughly $25,000 in combined assistance on a $295,000 purchase. The FHA down payment and most closing costs covered by two forgivable loans.

Two more programs round out the landscape. The FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program provides up to $20,000 as a true grant for income-qualified buyers, with no repayment beyond a 5-year retention period. The 2026 round opened April 6, 2026 on a first-come, first-served basis. Communities First Ohio offers a 3% to 5% grant with no repayment and no first-time buyer requirement. Between city, state, and federal programs, Columbus buyers have multiple simultaneous options worth researching in parallel.

Quick Answer

Yes. Columbus has a strong city program (ADDI, up to $19,999 forgivable) and multiple statewide programs through OHFA that can be layered on top.

The ADDI is the anchor: up to $14,999 forgivable after 5 years, or $19,999 for households at or below 80% AMI. Add OHFA Your Choice! (3.5% on FHA) and the combined assistance on a $295,000 purchase reaches approximately $25,000. That clears the down payment and most closing costs entirely.

For buyers who do not qualify for the city program (repeat buyers, higher income), Communities First Ohio offers a 3% to 5% true grant with no first-time requirement and a 115% AMI limit. FHLB Welcome Home ($20,000 grant) opened April 6, 2026 and is first-come, first-served.

Columbus City and State Programs

Verify Funding City of Columbus

Columbus ADDI (American Dream Downpayment Initiative)

Amount: Up to $14,999 (or $19,999 for 80% AMI households)

Type: Forgivable loan (5 years)

Income limit: 120% AMI standard; 80% AMI for HOME-funded

First-time buyer: Required (both individual and spouse, 36-month look-back)

DTI limits: PITI max 35% of income; total debt max 45%

Min buyer funds: $500 saved + $500 accessible after closing

Property must be within Columbus corporation limits. Condos eligible. Must meet HUD decent/safe/sanitary standards. 6 months Ohio residency required. HUD-certified homebuyer education required. Approval takes 4 to 6 weeks. First-come, first-served. Contact: (614) 645-8530.

Open OHFA Statewide

OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance

Amount: 3% (conventional) or 3.5% (FHA/VA/USDA) of purchase price

Type: Forgivable loan (7 years)

Income limit: Varies by county and household size

First-time buyer: Required (waived for veterans and in target areas)

Credit score: 640 (conventional/VA/USDA); 650 (FHA)

Lender: Must use OHFA-approved lender

Forgiven after 7 years. If sold or refinanced before 7 years, full repayment required. HUD-approved homebuyer education required. On a $295,000 purchase with FHA: 3.5% = $10,325. Can be stacked with Columbus ADDI.

Open Statewide Grant

Communities First Ohio

Amount: 3% to 5% of purchase price

Type: True grant (no repayment, no lien)

Income limit: 115% AMI (~$119,600 for family of 4)

First-time buyer: Not required

Credit score: Lender-specific

Note: Comes with slightly higher interest rate on first mortgage

Administered by the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority. A true grant with no repayment obligation. Available statewide including Columbus. The rate premium on the first mortgage is the trade-off for the grant structure. Run the math against forgiven-loan alternatives. Best for repeat buyers who cannot use OHFA or ADDI.

Open FHLB Grant

FHLB Cincinnati Welcome Home Program

Amount: Up to $20,000 ($25,000 for veterans/military)

Type: True grant (5-year retention period)

Income limit: At or below 80% of MRB limit for county

First-time buyer: Not required

Min buyer contribution: $500

2026 opening: April 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM ET (first-come, first-served)

Must apply through a FHLB Cincinnati member financial institution. No co-signers or non-occupant co-borrowers. Max first mortgage rate: 9.875%. First-time buyers must complete homeownership counseling. Contact: welcomehome@fhlbcin.com or (888) 345-2246. Funds typically exhaust quickly after opening.

Open OHFA Statewide

OHFA Grants for Grads

Amount: 3% or 3.5% of purchase price

Type: Forgivable (5 years, 20% per year)

Eligibility: Degree earned within past 48 months

First-time buyer: Check program (focused on recent grads)

Degree types: Associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctorate

Residency: Must remain in Ohio

Specifically designed to retain Ohio college graduates by making homeownership accessible. Forgiven faster than OHFA Your Choice! (5 years vs. 7 years). Best for buyers who graduated in the past 4 years and are buying their first home in Columbus.

FHLB Welcome Home timing alert: The 2026 round opened April 6, 2026 on a first-come, first-served basis. FHLB programs historically exhaust within days of opening. If you are income-eligible (80% MRB limit) and buying in Columbus, contact a FHLB Cincinnati member institution immediately. Do not wait.

How DPA Programs Work in Columbus

Forgivable Loans (ADDI, OHFA)

You borrow the money, but it is forgiven if you stay in the home through the forgiveness period. ADDI forgives after 5 years. OHFA Your Choice! forgives after 7 years. Sell or refinance before that and you repay from the proceeds. No monthly payment on either. The balance sits as a silent second lien until forgiven. For buyers planning to stay 5 to 10 years, this is effectively free money.

True Grants (Communities First, FHLB)

No repayment, no forgiveness period to track. Communities First is a clean grant with no lien. FHLB Welcome Home has a 5-year retention period with a restrictive covenant but is not a loan. Both are the cleanest form of DPA. Communities First comes with a rate premium on the first mortgage. FHLB has income limits at 80% MRB and opens annually on a competitive basis.

Rate Discounts (Ohio Heroes)

Ohio Heroes provides a 0.25% interest rate reduction on the first mortgage rather than a cash grant. On a $295,000 30-year loan, a 0.25% rate reduction saves approximately $45 per month. Over 7 years that is roughly $3,780 in interest savings. It is combinable with standard OHFA DPA. Best used in combination, not as a standalone strategy.

Stacking

Columbus ADDI explicitly permits stacking with non-city DPA programs. OHFA Your Choice! can layer on top of the city program. FHLB Welcome Home can potentially layer as well depending on lender. Communities First and OHFA programs may not stack with each other since they both involve first mortgage products. Always confirm stacking with your lender before planning combined amounts.

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This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a commitment to lend. Program availability, terms, and eligibility requirements change frequently. All program details should be verified directly with the administering agency or an approved lender before making financial decisions. DownPaymentScout is an independent resource and is not affiliated with any government agency or lending institution. Information is believed accurate as of the date shown but is not guaranteed. Last updated April 2026. Program availability changes frequently.

Down Payment Assistance in Columbus, Ohio