Addressing Housing Challenges in Rural Ohio and Nationwide

The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., is seen on Monday, October 5, 2026. A hospital in Holmes County, Ohio, successfully recruits a physician, who later spends weeks searching for housing. Unfortunately, the doctor finds no suitable options and opts for a job elsewhere. This scenario emerged from community listening sessions in Wayne and Holmes counties over the summer, where employers highlighted the housing shortage’s impact on hiring. Some workers, including physicians, leave the area due to the lack of available housing. The workforce exists, jobs are present, but homes are missing. This issue in rural Ohio serves as a warning to communities nationwide: a housing shortage can hinder economic development.

Numbers reinforce the employers’ concerns. A housing study presented to Millersburg Village Council identified the need for approximately 858 additional owner-occupied homes and 280 rental units in Holmes County. It also revealed that only 44% of the county’s workers reside there, compared with roughly 54% in nearby rural counties. Many workers commute from other areas, while local employers struggle to attract and retain people who wish to live nearby. Wayne County offers 26 affordable rental units for every 100 extremely low-income households. Statewide, Ohio faces a shortfall of about 266,000 affordable rental homes for these households, based on the 2026 Gap Report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio.

Ohio exemplifies the national shortage: there are only 35 affordable homes for every 100 extremely low-income households across the country, leaving a gap of 7.2 million homes. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency’s 2026 assessment notes a net loss of more than 62,000 affordable rental units since 2019 for very low-income Ohioans. A full-time worker in Ohio now must earn $23.82 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment, while the average renter earns $19.59. This impacts nurses, line workers, teachers, and young families in places like Medina, Wooster, and Millersburg, reflecting similar pressures in communities beyond Ohio.

Families in small towns face barriers: high land prices, infrastructure costs burdening small municipalities, and outdated development rules. These obstacles raise costs, pricing out working families. Congressional action is necessary to prioritize housing concerns, as obtaining a mortgage becomes a luxury and fewer Americans have families, establish roots, and achieve the American Dream. Veterans also encounter housing challenges, especially with job or assignment changes.

The Homes for Heroes Act aims to increase the maximum VA loan guarantee for eligible veterans with existing VA-backed mortgages, from 25% to 37.5% of the conforming loan limit, easing their ability to purchase homes when relocating. This summer, Congress enacted significant federal housing legislation: the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Passing the House 358-32 and the Senate 85-5, the law was established on July 11. It reduces regulatory delays, updates manufactured housing rules, allows pre-approved home designs for faster permit acquisition, and permits rental assistance continuation upon USDA mortgage maturity.

The Agriculture Department manages roughly 400,000 affordable rental units nationwide, and implementation is crucial. Ensuring rural communities, including those in Ohio, receive their share requires advocacy with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Agriculture Department to channel grant funds to communities instead of larger metros. Collaboration with county commissioners and village councils on zoning and infrastructure decisions is vital, as is bolstering state programs already yielding results. Ohio’s housing tax credit, created in the 2023 budget, supports financing for new affordable homes. Projects like The Lafayette in Medina County, a supportive housing development, demonstrate successful collaboration among local leaders, developers, and government.

This approach must be replicated repeatedly across districts and in rural areas nationwide. Rural Ohioans are committed to work, as are workers in rural America. It is Washington’s responsibility to ensure adequate housing is available for these workers.