September 25, 2024, Press Release from Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County: Findlay, OH, Sept. 25, 2024— Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County will officially finish construction of its 60th and 61st homes during a Home Dedication ceremony open to the public on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the build site, located in the 1700 block of Bishop Lane, Findlay, Ohio. The program for the dedication will include a blessing, words from the new homeowners, the Butler and McMaster families, as well as comments from Wendy McCormick, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County, and Kelly Croy, Habitat’s Board President. The Butler family consists of a single mother and her daughter. Their housing situation left them burdened due to continued high rent increases. Additionally, their living conditions were unsafe, with no ventilation in the bedrooms and an exterior door in the daughter’s bedroom. For the past two years, the Butler family has been working with Habitat for Humanity after seeing several close friends go through the process. After a year of financial education and savings, they were chosen to be a partner family. They are forever grateful that everyone at Habitat chose to put their faith in them and grant this opportunity. They have gained so much knowledge already in the program and cannot wait to move into their own home! 

At-risk individuals in Allen, Auglaize, and Hardin counties may soon have a better chance of finding a home. The West Ohio Community Action Partnership (WOCAP) and the Mental Health and Recovery Service Board of Allen, Auglaize, and Hardin Counties are looking for landlords who will rent to those at risk. They are offering a maximum of $2,000 to landlords who agree to be in the program to assist those searching for a home for a fresh start.

One Lima City Council member is working toward improving the relationship between Lima housing tenants and their landlords. Sixth Ward Councilman Derry Glenn held a community meeting Tuesday evening for tenants and landlords at the Wingate Hotel in Lima to initiate a conversation on how to address complaints received about housing situations in Lima's Sixth Ward.

Lima’s sixth ward councilman is trying to find a way to help landlords and tenants in his ward.  Derry Glenn will be holding a meeting this Tuesday to talk to individuals about the problems that exist with the rental properties in the south end of Lima.  He says there are good renters and landlords out there, but he has heard of people not paying rent for months, and landlords not following up with needed repairs.   So, he wants to bring both sides together to work on the differences and if they cannot be resolved

6th Ward Councilman Derry Glenn will be holding a meeting to talk with any Lima landlord on how to better relations and services with their tenants. He says that the 6th ward has the most concentration of rental properties in the city and he has been receiving calls from individuals about the increase in rents and lack of repairs to properties. His goal is to spark a change.

Earlier this year, one city council member proposed the idea of a landlord rental registry. Now she says she's open to other options. Third ward city council member Carla Thompson initially presented the idea as a way to hold landlords and tenants accountable. She believes it would be the solution to vacant and dilapidated housing, but, not all her constituents believe this is the best option.

After Wednesday night's meeting, the Economic and Community Development Committee said they are still unsure about the idea of a rental licensing system. In December of 2018 committee chair Carla Thompson proposed the idea of a rental licensing system as a way to not only protect tenants and hold landlords responsible, but to also help assist landlords with their properties.