Assistance up to nearly $21,000 is available to assist low- to moderate-income homebuyers

Cleveland, September 8, 2025 – Believe Mortgage (formerly CHN Housing Capital), Cuyahoga County and the City of Parma announced funds are available to help residents become homeowners through down payment assistance. Through the Cuyahoga County Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program and the Parma DPA Program, up to 10% of a home’s purchase price (up to $20,900) is available to assist low- to moderate-income residents with their down payment.

“We are proud to partner with Cuyahoga County and the City of Parma on down payment assistance programs,” said Kevin Nowak, president and CEO of Believe Mortgage. “Our goal is to eliminate barriers to homeownership so that individuals and families can achieve the American dream, build generational wealth and change the financial trajectory for their children and grandchildren.”

The Cuyahoga County DPA program is open to residents of the 51 eligible Cuyahoga County communities (urban county communities as defined by the federal government, which exclude Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, East Cleveland, Euclid and Lakewood) who are purchasing a single-family home to be their primary residence. Program participants must complete homeownership classes (offered for free by CHN Housing Partners) and must have a household income at or below 80% of the area median income. While this program is not limited to first-time homebuyers, participants must not have owned a home in the last three years. The Cuyahoga County DPA program is made possible through funding from Cuyahoga County.

“Everyone deserves access to safe, stable housing,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “It’s the foundation for families and our communities. Expanding access to down payment assistance with our partners at Believe Mortgage is an important part of our longer-term strategy to stabilize neighborhoods and support inclusive growth, so housing is not a barrier, it’s the basis for opportunity.”

The Parma DPA program, in partnership with the City of Parma, is open to those purchasing a home in Parma and has identical eligibility requirements to the Cuyahoga County DPA Program.

“Affordable housing in our well-maintained safe neighborhoods is one reason Parma has always been an attractive suburb for homebuyers,” said Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter. “With the significant increase in housing costs over the past few years, homeownership has become less attainable, especially for young families just getting started. This program makes the dream of buying a home and planting roots in a community a reality for more citizens.”

Believe Mortgage, the lending arm of CHN Housing Partners, was founded in 2019 to make homeownership accessible to those traditionally left out of the housing market. To date, over 155 families have become homeowners through Believe Mortgage’s first mortgage and hundreds of homebuyers have received down payment assistance.

To learn more and get started, interested applicants can visit believemortgage.org/dpa  or call 855-764- LOAN (5626).

ABOUT BELIEVE MORTGAGE

Founded in 2019, Believe Mortgage (formerly CHN Housing Capital) is the lending arm of CHN Housing Partners. It is certified as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Believe Mortgage supports CHN Housing Partners’ mission to leverage the power of affordable housing to change lives and improve communities. It eliminates barriers to homeownership, with a particular focus on low-income homebuyers and homebuyers in low-income communities, through home mortgage loans, down payment assistance and home repair loans. Since its inception, Believe Mortgage has helped over 155 individuals and families become homeowners through its Believe Mortgage product and nearly 100 through various down payment assistance programs.

Believemortgage.org