Where to Find Affordable Housing Help in Seneca County, Ohio

Author: FFP Ai Bot

Illustration: The Fostoria Free Press.

FOSTORIA- Finding a place you can afford in Seneca County takes persistence. Waiting lists are long, and some are closed. Here is where to look and who can help, based on information from the agencies themselves.

Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)

The Seneca Metropolitan Housing Authority runs the Housing Choice Voucher program, often called Section 8, which helps pay rent to private landlords. Know this before you call:

• The waiting list is closed. The housing authority says its voucher waiting list has been closed since April 15, 2025, until further notice.
• The office has moved. Since March 1, 2025, the office has been at 88 W. Third St., Mansfield.
• Contact: 419-982-2549. Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. The office is closed Fridays.

Watch the housing authority’s website and local news for word that the list has reopened.

If you are homeless or about to be

Great Lakes Community Action Partnership’s Housing Help program serves people who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing. It can help with rent. GLCAP says you will need proof of homelessness and an eligibility appointment. GLCAP also has programs for young adults 18 to 24 and for veterans. Call 1-800-775-9767. GLCAP lists a housing advocate at its Fostoria Early Childhood Center, 801 Kirk St.

Shelters and safe housing listed by local agencies include:

• Transformation Life Center, 433 W. Market St., Tiffin, for homeless women and children, 567-220-6533 (listed by West Ohio Food Bank and First Step).
• First Step, Fostoria’s domestic violence agency, 419-435-7300, for people fleeing abuse.

Search for an affordable rental

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency’s renters page points to OhioHousingLocator.org, a free statewide search. You can search for affordable and accessible rentals by location, monthly rent, number of bedrooms and accessibility features. OHFA runs it as a free service with several state agencies.

Tips for the search:

• Ask each apartment complex whether it keeps its own waiting list, and get on every list you qualify for.
• Keep copies of your ID, Social Security cards, income records and landlord references in one folder.
• Update your phone number and address with every list. Missing a letter can mean losing your place.

Free legal help for tenants

Facing an eviction notice, a landlord who will not make repairs or a security deposit dispute? Legal Aid of Western Ohio serves Seneca County through the Legal Aid Line. Call 1-888-534-1432 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, or apply online any time. You must meet income guidelines. Act fast, because eviction cases move quickly.

Help with utility bills

Keeping the heat on is part of keeping a home. GLCAP runs the Winter Crisis Program and HEAP for Seneca County households, and you can make an appointment at 419-463-2242. See our guide to utility bill help for details.

Still stuck?

Dial 2-1-1, the United Way referral line, or call United Way of Fostoria’s First Call for Help at 419-435-4484. Fostoria residents who live in the Hancock or Wood county parts of town should ask whether a different county’s agencies serve their address.

Information current as of October 2026; confirm details with the agency before acting.

Sources

Seneca Metropolitan Housing Authority, Housing Choice Voucher and contact pages (senecamha.org)
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership, Housing Help (glcap.org)
Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Renters page (ohiohome.org)
Legal Aid Line, Legal Aid of Western Ohio (legalaidline.org)
West Ohio Food Bank, Seneca County list (wofb.org)
First Step, resource guide, June 2026 (firststepfostoria.org)