Every new hire in Ada asks one question. You finally have an answer!
5,275
ADA population – student rentals consume the market
$0
cost to your company
48 hrs
from application to credit decision
Any Employer Can Apply!
Logan Carter, COO @ Hometown Communities
Ada employers don't lose candidates on pay. They lose them on housing.
“Ohio’s affordable housing gap has widened by a net loss of more than 62,000 units since 2019.”
— Ohio Housing Finance Agency, FY26 Annual Plan
The problem is structural. It is not going to fix itself.
22.2%
Ada median age — student-dominated market
$15K–$30K
average cost to replace one employee
62,000+
net loss of OH affordable units since 2019 (OHFA)
Introducing THE SEED.
Inviting Employers to Plant THE SEED 🌱 for their Employees!
| Benefit | What it means |
|---|---|
| Up to ~$5,000 instant equity | They own a home worth ~$75,000 for a purchase price of ~$70,000. Real equity from day one — not a rental. |
| $1,500 closing cost assistance | We cover $1,500 toward closing costs — reducing the barrier to get in the door. |
| No broker fees | No middleman markup. No hidden costs. The price your employee sees is the price they pay. |
| No application fee* | Standard application fee waived for partner employer employees. * Reimbursed to approved applicants |
| 48-hour credit decision | Not a 12-week mortgage process. A decision within 48 hours. Move in within 3 weeks. |
| Priority home selection | Partner employees get first access to available homes before the general public. |
| What you get | Details |
|---|---|
| $0 cost to your company | This program costs your company nothing. No budget required. No vendor contract. |
| $0 administration burden | You verify employment. We handle every other step of the process. |
| Quarterly impact report | Every 90 days you receive a report on enrollments, homes placed, and retention data. Bring it to your leadership team. |
| Community partner recognition | Your organization is featured as a Hardin County workforce housing partner — newsletters, signage, Chamber communications. |
| Recruitment & Retention tool | Add to job postings and announce to employees: ‘Workforce homeownership program available.’ One line that closes the question every Ada candidate asks. |
Logan Carter, COO @ Hometown Communities
Total employee benefit value: ~$5,000
Total cost to your company: $0
This isn't our data. It's yours.
“Workforce development is among the organization’s biggest requests, highlighting the ongoing need for skilled employees to support the local manufacturing economy.”
Tim Fitzpatrick, Business & Work Development Lead · Allen Economic Development Group
Source: hometownstations.com/news/allen_county/
“Ohio’s affordable housing gap has widened by a net loss of more than 62,000 units since 2019.”
Ohio Housing Finance Agency · FY26 Annual Plan
Source: ohiohome.org
22.2
Ada median age — student housing dominates the market
62,000+
net loss of OH affordable units since 2019 (OHFA FY26)
$15K–$30K
average cost to replace one employee (recruiting, training, lost productivity)
Logan Carter, COO @ Hometown Communities
Ada rental market facts:
• Ada population: 5,275 — median age 22.2 due to ONU enrollment
• Student housing dominates the rental market — working professionals have almost no options
• Ohio lost 62,000+ affordable housing units since 2019 — the gap is structural (OHFA FY26)
• Candidates lost to Findlay and Lima cite housing availability — not salary — as the reason
Source: ohiohome.org
We are not asking you to take our word for it. Contact the Hardin County Economic Development office and ask them directly. They will confirm that workforce housing availability is a documented challenge for employer recruitment and retention in Ada — and that THE SEED program is part of the solution.
Ohio Northern University
~1,000+ faculty/staff
4 min drive
Ada Exempted Village Schools
Teachers & admin staff
15 min drive
Hardin County Government
County-seat employees in Kenton
Varies
Hardin County Mfg. SMBs
Light mfg & logistics, 50–150 employees
Varies
City of Ada
Municipal staff
0 min drive
Local healthcare clinics
Independent practices, 20–80 staff
Varies
Ada-area retail & service
Restaurants, retail, medical practices
Varies
Findlay-corridor employers
Reverse-commute candidates
Varies
Built for the organizations Hardin County runs on.
Ohio Northern University
~1,000+ faculty/staff
4 min drive
Ada Exempted Village Schools
Teachers & admin staff
15 min drive
Hardin County Government
County-seat employees in Kenton
Varies
Hardin County Mfg. SMBs
Light mfg & logistics, 50–150 employees
Varies
City of Ada
Municipal staff
0 min drive
Local healthcare clinics
Independent practices, 20–80 staff
Varies
Ada-area retail & service
Restaurants, retail, medical practices
Varies
Findlay-corridor employers
Reverse-commute candidates
Varies
How THE SEED program works — for you and your employees.
Logan Carter, COO @ Hometown Communities
STEP 1
You book a call
15 minutes. We walk you through the program, answer every question, and confirm your company as a partner.
Your time: 15 minutes
STEP 2
Your employees apply
You share the program with your team. Interested employees apply directly. We handle qualification, approval, and home selection.
Your time: one email to your team
STEP 3
They move in. You win.
Your employee is in a home they own within weeks — not months.
Your time: 0 minutes
Requirements
Program requirements:
• Current employment verification from your company (we handle the paperwork)
• Standard credit and income qualification
• No prior homeownership required
That’s it. No waiting lists. No lottery. First-come, first-served.
FAQs
Q: Does our company have to sign anything?
A: No legal contract required. You simply verify employment for interested employees.
Q: What if an employee leaves our company after buying?
A: The home belongs to your employee. There is no clawback or obligation on your part.
Q: How many employees can participate?
A: As many as qualify. There’s no cap on the number of employees from one company.
Q: How long does the process take from interest to move-in?
A: Typically 3–6 weeks from application to keys in hand.
Ada's housing problem has a solution. It's called THE SEED. Your team deserves to know about it.
Logan Carter, COO @ Hometown Communities