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City of Columbus
Columbus ADDI: up to $14,999 toward your Columbus home
Buyers who have not owned a home in 36 months and have lived in Ohio at least six months can get up to 6% of the price, capped at $14,999, to buy inside Columbus city limits.
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American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) - City of Columbus
Money can run out
City of Columbus
For
Buyers who have not owned a home in 36 months; 6+ months Ohio residency
Amount
Up to 6% of purchase price, max $14,999
Form
Forgivable loan
Income cap
120% AMI (Columbus MSA, eff. 6/1/2025): $117,720 (3 people) / $130,800 (family of 4)
Price cap
No fixed cap; price cannot exceed appraised value
First-timers only
Yes
Fine print
Home must be inside Columbus city limits; $500 of buyer's own (non-gift) funds; HUD-certified homebuyer education within 18 months of closing; PITI no more than 35% of income and total debt no more than 45%; post-closing liquid assets capped at $10,000; fixed-rate Conventional/FHA/VA/USDA/203K through a City-certified ADDI lender; apply through the lender at least 4 weeks before closing
Deferred loan forgiven after 5 years of owner-occupancy. The program uses non-federal City funds even though it is named ADDI. Other DPA, gifts and seller seconds may be combined, but not City Land Trust homes. Funds are limited, first-come first-served. Guidelines: https://www.columbus.gov/files/sharedassets/city/v/1/housing-amp-assistance-programs/addi/2025-addi-guidelines.pdf
Status watch. American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) - City of Columbus 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 Columbus ADDI work?
The City of Columbus Department of Development, Housing Division, runs the program. You receive up to 6% of the purchase price, with a ceiling of $14,999, as a deferred loan. Stay in the home as your primary residence for five years and the loan is forgiven in full. Although it carries the federal ADDI name, the City funds it with its own non-federal dollars. Money is limited and handed out first-come, first-served.
Who qualifies for Columbus ADDI?
The home must sit inside Columbus city limits, not just anywhere in Franklin County. Household income can be up to 120% of AMI for the Columbus metro, which the City lists as $117,720 for three people and $130,800 for a family of four (effective June 1, 2025). That is a higher ceiling than most Ohio city programs. Other rules:
No home ownership in the past 36 months and at least six months of Ohio residency.
$500 of your own money, and it cannot be a gift.
HUD-certified homebuyer education completed within 18 months of closing.
Housing payment no more than 35% of income and total debt no more than 45%.
No more than $10,000 in liquid assets left after closing.
A fixed-rate Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA or 203K loan from a City-certified ADDI lender.
There is no fixed price cap, but the price cannot exceed the appraised value.
Using it with Ohio Heroes and other help
The City’s guidelines allow other down payment assistance, gifts and seller seconds alongside ADDI, except on City Land Trust homes. That opens the door to pairing it with Ohio Heroes and OHFA assistance, but your lender has to be both City-certified and OHFA-approved, and OHFA’s own rules still apply, so a participating lender confirms the exact combination. Watch the $10,000 post-closing asset cap when stacking help. Our list of DPA mistakes covers that kind of trap.
How do you apply?
Pick a City-certified ADDI lender, finish homebuyer education, and have the lender submit the ADDI request at least four weeks before your closing date. Leaving it later than that is one of the most common reasons a closing slips. Start with check your eligibility to see which other programs you may layer in.
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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