Provide grants for mortgage, property tax, and utility bill help

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
S. B. No. 255

2025-2026

Senators Craig, Reynolds

Cosponsors: Senators Smith, DeMora,
Weinstein

A
BILL

To
enact section 175.50 of the Revised Code
to
provide grants to qualifying applicants for mortgage, property tax,
and utility bill assistance.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That
section 175.50 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec.
175.50.
(A)
As used in this section:

(1)
"Homeowner" means an individual who, jointly or severally,
has legal or equitable title to owner-occupied housing located in
Ohio together with the right to control or possess that housing.
"Homeowner" includes a purchaser of housing pursuant to a
land installment contract if that contract vests possession and
maintenance responsibilities in the purchaser and a person who has
care or control of housing as executor, administrator, assignee,
trustee, or guardian of the estate of the owner of that housing.

(2)
"Utility" means any of the following:

(a)
Natural gas;

(b)
Electricity, including renewable resources;

(c)
Bulk fuel, including propane, fuel oil, coal, and wood;

(d)
Water;

(e)
Sewer;

(f)
Trash removal;

(g)
Broadband internet service;

(h)
Property taxes;

(i)
Homeowner's insurance;

(j)
Flood insurance;

(k)
Mortgage insurance;

(l)
Fees imposed by the owners association of a planned community in
accordance with Chapter 5312. of the Revised Code;

(m)
Fees imposed by the unit owners association of a condominium
development in accordance with Chapter 5311. of the Revised Code;

(n)
Any other utility as determined by the Ohio housing finance agency by
rule pursuant to this section.

(B)(1)(a)
The save the dream Ohio program is created within the Ohio housing
finance agency for the purpose of providing grants to homeowners to
pay delinquent or future mortgage payments;

(b)
The save the dream Ohio utility assistance plus program is created
within the Ohio housing finance agency for the purpose of providing
grants to homeowners to pay for the cost of utilities.

(2)
The Ohio housing finance agency shall administer the programs created
under division (B)(1) of this section using up to ten million dollars
of money available to the agency. The programs are not subject to the
income limits established by the agency under section 175.05 of the
Revised Code.

(C)
A homeowner is eligible for a grant under either or both of the
programs created by this section if both of the following apply at
the time of the homeowner's application:

(1)
The homeowner's adjusted gross income, as defined in section 5747.01
of the Revised Code, for the most recently concluded tax year does
not exceed seventy-five thousand dollars;

(2)
The homeowner is sixty-five years or older, disabled, or a caretaker
of an individual who is disabled.

(D)
A homeowner may apply for and receive more than one grant under this
section, but no person may apply for or receive more than three
thousand dollars in grants under this section in a calendar year.

(E)
The Ohio housing finance agency shall adopt rules pursuant to Chapter
119. of the Revised Code as necessary to administer the grant
programs. At a minimum, the rules shall include both of the
following:

(1)
The form and manner in which applications are submitted;

(2)
Criteria for determining whether an applicant is disabled or the
caretaker of an individual who is disabled.