Toledo schedules expanded Homeownership Fair June 21 with $10,000 down-payment prize and targeted workshops

City of Toledo housing staff on May 29 told a council committee the second annual Homeownership Fair will be Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Scott High School and will include expanded workshops, vendor tables and a $10,000 down-payment drawing for entrants with mortgage preapproval.

The presentation, led by David Echols, assistant to the director of Housing and Community Development, summarized results from the 2024 fair and described new 2025 offerings. "When we think about Toledo housing, Toledo is ranked among the most affordable housing market in the United States," Echols said, arguing the fair helps residents learn the steps to buy a home and build generational wealth.

Staff said the 2025 fair will add workshops on home inspection and home insurance, continue credit-counseling sessions (now facilitated by Pathways Financial Opportunity Center) and again offer a homebuyer-education class in Spanish. Cynthia Jones, a housing department staff member who managed the slide presentation, described the fair's prize rules: the main $10,000 down-payment drawing requires entrants to show a mortgage preapproval. "That is a barrier and a hurdle for many folks as well," she said about preapproval requirements.

The 2024 fair, also held at Scott High School, included classroom-style workshops and vendor tables. Staff said pre-event survey results (534 responses) showed the top barriers to homebuying were inability to save enough for a down payment and poor credit. A separate question with 549 responses found 42% of respondents thought they would be in a new home within a year, and 27% expected to move in less than six months. Staff reported at least three fair attendees moved from renting to owning within the past year after connecting with realtors and lenders at the event.

Post-event surveys (78 responses) showed 39% said the event increased plans to buy within a year and 33% said they were more interested in buying; 13% (10 responses) said they were actively saving to purchase. Staff reported 94 respondents rated the fair "excellent" or "very good," and 86% planned to attend again. At the time of the committee hearing staff said 227 people were registered for the 2025 fair and 84 volunteers had signed up; there are 40 vendor tables planned, including 26 vendor slots for city and county departments plus additional sponsor tables.

Sponsors listed on the presentation included corporate and nonprofit partners; staff named Huntington Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Premier Bank, Nationwide Children's Hospital, the Lathrop Company and YMCA of Greater Toledo among others. City and county participants expected at tables include the Department of Public Service, Department of Public Utilities, Lucas County Land Bank, Lucas Metropolitan Housing, the Lucas County Treasurer and the Lucas County Auditor. Staff said marketing began on radio in April and includes digital billboards and Spanish-language ads in selected ZIP codes; they also credited the city's communications team for outreach.

Committee members asked how the $10,000 prize had been used by last year's winner; Cynthia Jones said the winner did not use the prize because she was not ready to purchase, but had engaged with Pathways for credit counseling. Council member Koma suggested expanding future programming beyond first-time-buyer topics to cover post-purchase issues such as refinancing and ongoing maintenance; staff said they could explore that expansion.

City staff also said the fair resource guide will be redesigned for 2025 as a folder with pockets so attendees can collect paperwork and refer back to materials. The guide will include checklists, budgeting worksheets and a page about lead paint risks and lead-dust safety for older homes built before 1978.

No formal votes or committee actions were recorded on the topic during the hearing. The fair is scheduled for June 21 at Scott High School; staff provided a contact (Valerie Fatica) for attendees with accessibility needs.