LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Mercy Health St. Rita's is taking advantage of a City of Lima program to help their workers become homeowners.
The money is coming from the Lima New Jobs Program, which Mercy Health qualified for when they built the graduate medical building.
They have announced a down payment assistance program of up to $10,000 for any St. Rita's employee looking to purchase in Census Tract 129, the area surrounding the medical center. The money is coming from the Lima New Jobs Program, which Mercy Health qualified for when they built the graduate medical building. The medical center says it is a win-win for their association and their neighborhood.
"We are always trying to look for new and exciting ways to support our associates. They work so hard every day for our community, so we are trying to find ways to support them in that work. But this program also supports our neighborhood, and we know that owning a home can be life-changing. We also know that more home ownership in a neighborhood is better for the neighborhood and can stabilize it. So, this program really offers our neighborhood some stability as well as our associates," says Beth Keehn, Dir. for Community and Government Affairs at Mercy Health-St. Rita's.
If the St. Rita's associate qualifies for Lima's down payment assistance program too, that could mean up to $15,000 in additional funding for the purchase of their new home.
If the St. Rita's associate qualifies for Lima's down payment assistance program too, that could mean up to $15,000 in additional funding for the purchase of their new home.
October 30, 2024, Press Release from Mercy Health: Lima, Ohio (Oct. 30, 2024) – Today, Mercy Health – Lima announced a new Down Payment Assistance program available to associates and affiliated partners of the health system who wish to purchase homes in the neighborhood around the hospital campus in Census Tract 129.
The Down Payment Assistance program is a forgivable loan of 10% of the purchase price of the home, up to $10,000, when the associate purchases a primary residence in Census Tract 129. These loans are available on a first come first serve basis for both employed Mercy Health associates and partner associates in the Lima market including those directly employed by Ensemble, HHS, Compassus, CBRE and more.
“As a health system, we recognize that the factors that drive individual and community health extend beyond the walls of our hospitals. In fact, conditions of housing and neighborhoods are one of the most important predictors of a person’s health,” said Ronda Lehman, president, Mercy Health – Lima. “Every family deserves to live in a safe and affordable home where they have the opportunity to thrive, and we are thrilled to offer this unique benefit to our associates looking to establish roots while navigating this challenging economy.”
This program is one of many steps Mercy Health has taken to support Census Tract 129, the neighborhood in which St. Rita’s Medical Center is located. The area has been the focus of community health and revitalization efforts for Mercy Health and our community partners. Over the years St. Rita’s has sponsored reading parks, cooking classes, immunizations, education, and more in Census Tract 129.
With a focus on addressing safe housing, which is one of the most influential social determinants of health, Mercy Health is also working alongside a local LLC to support the work to purchase and renovate homes, then resell to homeowners at workforce-affordable prices. The collective goal is to increase the levels of home ownership in the neighborhood, which will in turn offer opportunities to improve the health status of the community.
This new down payment assistance program was shared internally with associates this week. “We are proud to launch this program and are hopeful that our dedicated associates will take advantage of this unique offering. We look forward to assisting our associates in home ownership and gaining some new neighbors in the process,” said Lehman.
