Sandusky commission cites housing gains and expands Welcome Home eligibility

Sandusky City Commission members received the city’s 2025 annual report and heard staff describe housing progress and new program eligibility that officials say will let resale proceeds finance additional homes.

City Manager John Orzac and Tom Horseman walked commissioners through a report organized around the commission’s six strategic-plan pillars. Orzac said printed copies will be made available and the document is posted online for public viewing.

"The annual report's been done for over 10 years," Orzac said, and staff organized the 2025 edition around neighborhoods, housing, waterfront, economic development, municipal services and arts and culture. He said the city will use proceeds from completed Welcome Home sales to develop additional houses under expanded income limits.

Horseman detailed housing activity and programs, highlighting the Welcome Home Ohio effort. "In 10 months we have 16 contracts for homes. Seven of those are closed. Three are under construction, five are in pre-development, one's awaiting close, and we have three in the pipeline," Horseman said, summarizing production and stages of projects connected to the program.

Orzac and Horseman told the commission that the city will leverage several programs — including the housing development accelerator, residential tax abatement, land-bank activity and lead-abatement support coordinated with the Erie County Health Department — to increase housing diversity and preserve existing stock. Horseman said about $2.1 million in housing-beautification and home-purchase-assistance grants were invested last year to help build and repair homes.

The city manager also said the Welcome Home program’s eligibility has been expanded to households earning up to 120 percent of area median income (AMI) to align with state guidance; the city is using resale proceeds from completed homes to build more houses under the revised limit. "To date, 15 families have entered a purchase contract," Orzac told the commission during his report.

A resident, Tim Schwanker, asked whether the state-driven eligibility increase to 120 percent AMI implied other communities were struggling to sell homes. "Does that mean that other communities are having a hard time selling their homes?" Schwanker asked. Staff said that characterization was a question for the state and emphasized that the change does not exclude buyers at the original 80 percent AMI level and that the city still serves lower-income households through the program.

Commissioners exchanged questions about unit types and supply. Staff responded that program rules for the current Welcome Home projects require three-bedroom units, and the housing accelerator’s consultant has flagged a regional shortage of multiple bedroom types, including two-bedroom homes.

Why this matters: Commission members said the report ties many routine votes and projects together and shows how grants, infrastructure work and programming translate into tangible neighborhood improvements. Staff stressed that more detailed cost breakdowns for major projects (for example, an approximately $8 million pathway and bridge project) will be provided separately when available.

The annual report and program details, including updated Welcome Home income limits, are posted on the city website and staff said additional outreach and social-media highlights will follow. Printed copies are being ordered for public distribution.