Akron, OH · city desk

Down payment assistance in Akron, OH

Akron Dreams 2026 offers $7,500 in forgivable help for homes inside Akron, but its $300,000 budget covers only about 33 to 35 buyers.

How far will Akron Dreams 2026 money go?

Not far, so timing matters. Akron Dreams 2026 launched August 25, 2026 with a $300,000 HUD HOME budget, enough for roughly 33 to 35 buyers, handed out first-come, first-served. The East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation (EANDC) runs it for the City of Akron. Each buyer gets $7,500 as a forgivable loan; local reporting by Signal Akron says it is forgiven 20% a year over five years and is reduced if you'd have more than $15,000 in liquid assets after the purchase.

Eligibility starts with a three-year no-ownership rule and no bankruptcy or foreclosure in the last two years. Income limits run from $54,400 for one person to $77,701 for a family of four and $102,600 for eight. The home must be inside Akron city limits and owner-occupied, and you need HUD-approved homebuyer education within two years. Signal Akron also reports price caps of $219,000 for an existing home and $296,000 for new construction, a 1% buyer contribution and a 30-year mortgage; those three points aren't on the EANDC page, so confirm them with EANDC.

Summit County's First Home, First Loan match is drawn for buyers outside Akron, Barberton and Cuyahoga Falls, and its 2026 status is unverified, so it doesn't add anything inside the city. If Akron Dreams runs dry, statewide programs still apply. Akron Public Schools teachers and Akron Police and Fire employees can use Ohio Heroes, OHFA's discounted rate with 3% or 3.5% forgivable assistance; Summit County's OHFA limits are $98,800 for 1 to 2 people and $113,620 for 3 or more. See the Summit County guide or check your eligibility.

Run by the city of Akron

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).

Checked November 2026 · our sourcing

Read the full report → Check if I qualify →

Programs that work anywhere in the state

A home in Akron also qualifies for 3 statewide programs, Ohio Heroes among them. The full Ohio list · the program matcher

County page: Summit County

Homebuyer classes near Summit County

Plan on a homebuyer class. Nearly every assistance program makes you take one before closing. These HUD-approved agencies near Summit County teach the class or offer one-on-one counseling before you buy:

Agency	City	Miles	Services	Languages	How it is taught
Fair Housing Contact Service	Akron	4 mi	Pre-buy advice	English	By phone
Mustard Seed Development Center	Akron	5 mi	Buyer class / Pre-buy advice	Arabic / Chinese / English / French / Hindi / Korean / Portuguese / Russian / Spanish / Vietnamese	In person / By phone / Online
East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp.	Akron	5 mi	Buyer class / Pre-buy advice	English	In person / By phone
Breaking Chains Inc	Beachwood	23 mi	Pre-buy advice	English	By phone
Community Building Partnership of Stark County, Inc.	Canton	24 mi	Buyer class / Pre-buy advice	English	In person / By phone / Online

From HUD's list of approved housing counseling agencies. A class one program accepts may not count for another.

Which class counts? Ask the loan officer before you sign up. Lenders who handle Ohio programs know which course is required, and they can get your pre-approval moving while you study. Start the eligibility check

Questions from Akron readers

How much is Akron Dreams 2026?

$7,500 per buyer as a forgivable loan. News reports say it shrinks if your liquid assets after purchase would exceed $15,000.

What are the Akron Dreams income limits?

From $54,400 for one person to $77,701 for a family of four, up to $102,600 for a household of eight.

Can I use Akron Dreams in Cuyahoga Falls or Barberton?

No. The home must be inside Akron city limits.