Empowering Homeownership Journey

At Rent to Roots, our mission isn’t about giving homes away—it’s about empowering families to build ownership through consistency, education, and commitment. This is a hand up, not a handout.

Families in our program live in a quality rental home while actively participating in a structured path toward ownership. Each month, tenants can earn up to 400 credits by paying rent on time, attending financial education classes, submitting a household budget, and making steady progress toward their goals.

Over the course of three years, those efforts can total 14,400 credits—each one backed by real cash funds held in trust by our nonprofit and applied at closing as a down payment on a qualified home in Putnam County, Ohio.

These credits are non-cash and non-transferable, reinforcing the principle that ownership is something to be earned through effort, discipline, and integrity. Tenants must uphold their responsibilities by maintaining their home, participating in regular coaching, and communicating openly through any challenges.

Failure to engage or violations of the lease may result in the loss of credits—because this program is not about entitlement; it’s about partnership and accountability.

We stand beside families willing to invest in themselves, and we walk with them every step of the way as they transform rent into roots—laying the foundation for a legacy that endures.