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City of Akron
Akron Dreams 2026: $7,500 to buy in Akron
Buyers who have not owned property in three years can get $7,500 toward a home inside Akron city limits, forgiven over five years, if household income fits the program limits.
Fact box
Akron Dreams 2026
Money can run out
City of Akron
For
Buyers who have not owned property in the past 3 years; no bankruptcy or foreclosure in the last 2 years
Amount
$7,500 (reduced if liquid assets after purchase exceed $15,000, per news report)
Form
Forgivable loan
Income cap
$54,400 (1 person) to $77,701 (family of 4) to $102,600 (8 people)
Price cap
$219,000 existing / $296,000 new construction (per Signal Akron; not on EANDC page)
First-timers only
Yes
Fine print
Home inside Akron city limits, owner-occupied; HUD-approved homebuyer education within 2 years; 1% buyer contribution and 30-year mortgage (per Signal Akron)
HUD HOME-funded; $300,000 budget (about 33-35 buyers); launched Aug 25, 2026; first-come first-served. Forgiven after 5 years (20%/year, per Signal Akron July 2026).
Status watch. Akron Dreams 2026 has a fixed pot of money that can run dry. Sign up and we will tell you when a new round is funded.
How does Akron Dreams work?
East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation (EANDC) runs Akron Dreams for the City of Akron with federal HOME funds. The 2026 round launched August 25, 2026 with a $300,000 budget, enough for roughly 33 to 35 buyers, handed out first-come, first-served. Each buyer gets $7,500 as a forgivable loan that drops 20% a year and is gone after five years, according to Signal Akron’s July 2026 report. The same news report says the amount is reduced if you would have more than $15,000 in liquid assets after the purchase.
Who qualifies?
Income limits run from $54,400 for one person to $77,701 for a family of four and $102,600 for eight people. You must not have owned property in the past three years and must have no bankruptcy or foreclosure in the last two. The home must be inside Akron city limits and owner-occupied. You complete HUD-approved homebuyer education within two years before buying. Because funding is HUD HOME money, expect the home and your file to be reviewed against federal rules as well as the City’s. Signal Akron also reports price caps of $219,000 for existing homes and $296,000 for new construction, a 1% buyer contribution and a 30-year mortgage; those are not on the EANDC page, so confirm them.
Using it with Ohio Heroes and other help
EANDC does not say whether Akron Dreams can be paired with Ohio Heroes or OHFA down payment assistance, so a participating lender confirms whether they combine. With income limits far below Ohio Heroes’ caps in Summit County, many Akron teachers and first responders will be eligible for the state program but over this one, while lower-income buyers may qualify for both. Watch the liquid-asset rule if other help adds cash to your deal; our DPA mistakes guide explains why.
How do you apply?
Call EANDC at (330) 773-6838, option 9, or start from its Akron Dreams page. With only about three dozen awards, have your homebuyer education certificate and pre-approval in hand early. Your lender and EANDC coordinate the forgivable loan before closing. You can also check your eligibility.
Based on the program's official page as of November 2026. Money and rules shift, so confirm terms with the program or a participating lender. Ohio Down Payment Assistance has no affiliation with this program.
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