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City of Dayton
City of Dayton down payment assistance: up to 10% of the price
Households earning under 80% of AMI and buying in Dayton can get up to 10% of the purchase price, on homes up to $105,000 (existing) or $195,000 (new construction).
Fact box
City of Dayton Down Payment Assistance Program
Money can run out
City of Dayton
For
Households under 80% AMI buying in Dayton
Amount
Up to 10% of purchase price
Income cap
80% AMI
Price cap
$105,000 existing home / $195,000 new construction
Fine print
$500 of buyer's own funds; must live in the home 5+ years; homebuyer class and meeting with a HomeOwnership Center advisor
Listed on the City's Resources page (undated). The HomeOwnership Center's own DPA page now lists only the Northwest/West Dayton program, so confirm this citywide program still has funds.
Status watch. City of Dayton Down Payment Assistance Program 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 the Dayton citywide program work?
The City of Dayton lists the program on its Resources page, and the HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton (County Corp) administers it. Assistance can reach 10% of the purchase price. The listing does not say whether the money is a grant, a forgivable loan or a deferred loan, so ask the HomeOwnership Center before you plan around it. The Resources page is undated, and the Center’s own DPA page now lists only the Northwest/West Dayton program, so call (937) 853-1600 to confirm this citywide money is still funded.
Who qualifies?
Income must be under 80% of AMI. The price ceilings are low: $105,000 for an existing home and $195,000 for new construction. You put in at least $500 of your own funds and agree to live in the home for five years or more. Before closing you take a homebuyer class and meet with a HomeOwnership Center advisor. The listing does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. The five-year occupancy promise matters: if a job move is likely in the next few years, raise it with the advisor before you commit.
Using it with Ohio Heroes and other help
The City listing is silent on combining with Ohio Heroes or OHFA down payment assistance, so a participating lender confirms whether they combine. Ohio Heroes uses its own county income limits ($118,450 for three or more people in Montgomery County), so a household can fit the state program without fitting this one, or both. If you are buying a new build in the northwest or west neighborhoods, compare the separate Northwest/West Dayton program too. Our cash-to-close guide shows how a 10% layer changes what you bring.
How do you apply?
Call the HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton to confirm funding and ask about the loan terms. Book the advisor meeting, complete the homebuyer class, and get pre-approved with a lender that works with the Center. Keep your search under the price cap for the home type you want. Meanwhile, check your eligibility for statewide options that do not depend on city funding.
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.
Signed up.
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