OH SB197

Requires courts of common pleas to establish mandatory foreclosure mediation programs for all non-tax foreclosure actions on occupied residential properties (structures with four or fewer units or individual condominiums).

Filing parties must pay a residential foreclosure filing fee of up to $500, collected by the court and deposited into a residential foreclosure mediation fund to cover mediation costs.

Mandates that foreclosure actions on occupied residential properties cannot proceed unless both the filing party and homeowner participate in court-appointed mediator sessions, unless the homeowner fails to respond within 28 days or the property is not owner-occupied.

Mediators must complete minimum training including 12 hours of basic mediation training, foreclosure-specific training approved by the Supreme Court, and 2 hours of training on Ohio's mechanics lien laws.

Establishes that mediation meetings must be scheduled within 60 days of the homeowner's response, with all further foreclosure proceedings stayed until the mediator files a written report; allows the first meeting to be conducted by telephone at the mediator's discretion.