Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio 
State Issues
Stay tuned to COHHIO for updates on the following advocacy issues:
- House Bill 545 passed both the House & Senate and was signed by Governor Ted Strickland in June. Payday lending industry has mounted a referendum campaign to overturn the law. COHHIO was involved in the IS 391% TOO HIGH? VOTE YES ON 5 COMMITTEE to save HB 545. On November 4th, Ohioans by a 2 to 1 margin repudiated over a decade of predatory payday lending by voting yes on issue 5! Visit www.yesonissue5.com for more.
- Predatory lending — following through on rules associated with SB 185, the Homebuyers Protection Act
- House Bill 138 requires sheriffs to file deeds soon after sheriff sale & requires foreclosing agents to provide contact information on the parties responsible for the state of the property as it sits vacant. The bill also cleans up tax foreclosures where the land is vacant or abandoned and is subject to foreclosure from the County Treasurer. House Bill 138 passed both the House and the Senate and was signed by Governor Ted Strickland.
- House Bill 359 & House Bill 388 would allow communities to access funds from their county’s Delinquent Tax and Assessment Collection Fund (DTAC) for maintenance of vacant and abandoned properties. HB 338, specifically, also allows these funds to be utilized for foreclosure prevention counseling and rescue loans to help individuals avoid foreclosure. House Bill 359 passed both the House and the Senate and was signed by Governor Strickland on June 27th.
- House Bill 440 & Senate Bill 295 would provide that a tenant’s lease does not terminate upon the foreclosure of a landlord’s mortgage. A new bill, introduced by Representative Ted Celeste and Representative Mike Foley, also ensures that a tenant’s lease does not terminate upon the foreclosure of a landlord’s mortgage. HB 626, the Ohio Renter’s Protection Act, requires that landlords and creditors notify tenants within 30 days of a scheduled foreclosure or sheriff sale and ensures that most rental agreements will convert to a month to month lease once the property is sold, allowing renters a reasonable time to find new housing. House Bill 440 was heard in the House Civil & Commercial Law Committee on November 19th.
- Senate Bill 277 would assist nuisance property abatement by creating a new cause of action in foreclosure in the environmental or housing division of a municipal court, giving the court greater jurisdiction and the ability to proceed to foreclosure in a timelier fashion. SB 277 passed the Senate on May 29th and received sponsor testimony in the House Civil & Commercial Law Committee on November 19th.
- Senate Bill 281 would bring Ohio’s bankruptcy exemptions in line with federal exemption levels, allowing homeowners facing bankruptcy to keep more equity in their homes. SB 281 passed the House and Senate and was signed by the Governor on June 27th.
- House Bill 361 requires vendors seeking to enter into a land installment contract for real estate to obtain and attach to the contact a copy of a written appraisal of the property and structure within the previous year. The bill prohibits a landlord from offering a residential lease option contract unless the contract contains the appropriate information, i.e., the appraised value, the option agreement, and the option fee.
- House Bill 367 is a windfall for debt settlement service companies. The bill allows the charging of significant fees as high as 20% of the total value of debt for services that consumers could either accomplish on their own or receive for free from one of Ohio’s many not-for-profit consumer credit counseling agencies. COHHIO opposes House Bill 367.
- Senate Bill 353 and House Bill 602 are two land reutilization bills that are being pushed by Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis. The bills will help urban counties address the serious problem associated with the large increase in vacant and abandoned properties as a result of Ohio’s foreclosure crisis. County land banks will be able to acquire properties that are vacant or contain existing structures. Money will be used for acquisition, demolition and rehabilitation of foreclosed properties. Senator Robert Spada (R-24) introduced senate Bill 353 and co-sponsors of the bill include Senators Harris, Mason, Miller, D., Roberts, Smith, and Seitz The House companion bill, HB 602, was introduced by Rep. Tom Patton (R-18) and Representatives Dolan, McGregor, J., Setzer, and Yuko are co-sponsors.
- Property tax reform – Ohio tax law needs to be reformed to lessen the tax burden for low-income tax credit properties. COHHIO supports the addition of an amendment to Ohio’s tax law that would allow LIHTC properties to be valued based on net income calculations. Owners of LIHTC properties are faced with growing operating expenses due to higher energy costs, higher insurance costs and higher property taxes. This makes it more difficult for owners to LIHTC properties to manage or maintain their properties as well as they should and also contributes to an unwillingness of developers to build LIHTC properties.
- Pushing on issues related to the Interagency Council on Homelessness
- Working to ensure a fair and accessible elections process
- Click here for Senator and Representative Contact InformationPDF