Renter and Homeowner Assistance Programs in Greater Cincinnati & Dayton

If you're struggling to keep up with rent, utilities, or your mortgage, help is available — you just need to know where to start. Below is a comprehensive, locally organized directory of assistance programs for both renters and homeowners across the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton areas.

Renter and Tenant Resources — Greater Cincinnati / Loveland Area

Start Here: General Help

• United Way 211 — Call 211 or 513-721-7900; text 211CARES to 51555 — 211uwgc.org
• 513Relief (Hamilton County portal) — 513relief.org/housing-utility-relief
• Ohio Benefits Portal (SNAP, Medicaid, cash assistance) — benefits.ohio.gov

Rent Assistance

• Community Action Agency (Hamilton Co.) — 513-569-1840 — cincy-caa.org
• Clermont County Community Services — support@cccsi.org — cccsi.org
• Warren County Community Services — 513-970-6737 — wccsi.org
• St. Vincent de Paul (rent assistance) — 513-421-0602 — svdpcincinnati.org
• Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) — 513-721-4580 — cintimha.com

Utility and Energy Assistance

• Ohio Energy Assistance (HEAP, PIPP, Winter/Summer Crisis) — 1-800-282-0880 — energyhelp.ohio.gov
  • Hamilton Co. provider (Community Action Agency) — 513-569-1840 — cincy-caa.org
  • Warren Co. provider (WCCS) — 513-970-6737 — wccsi.org
  • Clermont Co. provider (CCCS) — support@cccsi.org — cccsi.org
• Duke Energy "Share the Light" Fund — 513-762-5636 — duke-energy.com
• Salvation Army (Clermont/Warren utility help) — 1-800-725-2769 — sahelp.me

Food Assistance

• Freestore Foodbank — 513-241-1064 — freestorefoodbank.org
• SNAP enrollment is also available through Freestore Foodbank or your County Job & Family Services office.

Tenant Rights and Legal Aid

• Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati — 513-241-9400 — lascinti.org
  Serves Hamilton, Clermont, Warren, Butler, Brown, Clinton, and Highland counties.

Housing Crisis and Shelter

• Central Access Point (CAP) — 513-381-7233; text 513-970-1515

Community Centers and Hubs

• City of Loveland Parks & Recreation — lovelandoh.gov
• Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (senior services) — 513-721-1025 — help4seniors.org
• YMCA of Greater Cincinnati — myy.org

Libraries

• Loveland Branch Library — 513-369-4476 — 649 Loveland Madeira Rd., Loveland, OH 45140 — chpl.org/locations/lv
• Symmes Township Branch Library — 513-369-6001 — 11850 E. Enyart Rd., Loveland, OH 45140 — chpl.org/locations/sm
• Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library — 513-369-6970 — chpl.org

Homeowner Resources — Greater Cincinnati & Dayton

Statewide (Ohio)

• Ohio Energy Assistance — HEAP/PIPP (homeowners also eligible) — 1-800-282-0880 — energyhelp.ohio.gov
• Save the Dream Ohio / OHFA (foreclosure help, housing-counselor referrals) — savethedream.ohiohome.org
• Foreclosure hotline — call 211 for 24-hour intake and referrals
• Ohio Legal Help (foreclosure info, forms, lawyer referrals) — ohiolegalhelp.org
• Homestead Exemption (age 65+, permanently disabled, qualifying surviving spouses) — apply through your County Auditor
• People Working Cooperatively (free home repairs, both metros) — pwchomerepairs.org (or call 211)

Cincinnati / Hamilton County

• HomeSafe Property Tax Relief / REBATE (City of Cincinnati) — 513-352-5205 — up to $10,000 toward delinquent property taxes for households at or below 80% AMI — choosecincy.com
• Hamilton County Treasurer — Optional Payment (TOP) prepay plan — 513-946-4800
• Hamilton County Board of Revision (contest valuation; file Jan 1–Mar 31) — 513-946-4035
• Hamilton County Auditor (Homestead Exemption) — hamiltoncountyauditor.org
• Revive + Thrive Home Repair Loan (2% loans, $5,000–$25,000) — call 211
• Hamilton County HVAC Repair & Replacement (via Council on Aging; excludes City of Cincinnati) — 513-721-1025 — help4seniors.org
• Greater Cincinnati Water Works (bill assistance / PromisePay) — myGCWW.org
• MSD low-income senior sewer discount — 513-244-1300
• Lead Safe Hamilton County (pre-1978 homes) — hamiltoncountyhealth.org/services/lead
• Legal Aid — Board of Revision / appraisal support — 513-241-9400

Dayton / Montgomery County

• HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton (mortgage/foreclosure counseling, repair help) — 937-853-1600 — homeownershipdayton.org
• Montgomery County Foreclosure Prevention — call 211 — mcohio.org/255
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton (critical repairs, accessibility) — 937-586-8060 — daytonhabitat.org
• County Corp Housing — Home Repair grants (up to $10,000, income-based) — countycorp.com
• Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2 (senior home services, Meals on Wheels) — 937-223-4357 or 800-258-7277
• Dayton Mediation Center (neighbor/housing mediation) — 937-333-2345
• Montgomery County Auditor (Homestead Exemption) — mcohio.org

A Note on Program Availability

Assistance programs and their funding change over time. Hamilton County's pandemic-era mortgage and property-tax relief through Job & Family Services is closed to new applications, and the federal fund behind Save the Dream Ohio's mortgage grants is largely exhausted. If you're facing an active foreclosure, the most reliable next step is contacting a HUD-approved housing counselor — Working In Neighborhoods in Cincinnati or the HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton — rather than waiting for a specific grant program to reopen.

At EquityTeam, we believe part of serving the communities we manage property in means making sure residents know where to turn when things get difficult. If you're a current tenant facing a hardship, don't wait — contact us directly and we may be able to help you connect with the right resource before a missed payment becomes a bigger problem.

This directory is provided as a community resource and is not a guarantee of eligibility or fund availability. Contact each organization directly to confirm current program status before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the fastest way to get help if I'm behind on rent or facing eviction?
Call or text 211 first — it's a 24-hour intake and referral line that can connect you to rent assistance, Central Access Point for shelter needs, and Legal Aid for tenant rights questions, all from a single call.

Who do I contact for help with a utility bill?
Start with Ohio Energy Assistance at 1-800-282-0880 for HEAP and PIPP programs, or contact your county's Community Action Agency directly — Hamilton, Warren, and Clermont counties each have a local provider listed above.

Is there help available for homeowners facing foreclosure?
Yes — start with a HUD-approved housing counselor (Working In Neighborhoods in Cincinnati or the HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton) or call 211, since some of the broader state and federal foreclosure relief funds have been exhausted or closed to new applicants.

Do these programs serve Loveland, Ohio specifically?
Loveland falls within both Hamilton and Clermont counties depending on the specific address, so residents typically qualify through Hamilton County's Community Action Agency, Clermont County Community Services, or the Loveland-area libraries and community programs listed above.