Gov. DeWine and the Ohio House included several positive housing proposals in the state budget, but the Ohio Senate removed them and added other provisions that will stifle development of affordable housing. Chief among them is a plan to abolish the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and move its operations to the Ohio Department of Development.
Please take a moment right now to add your organization to this sign-on letter to defend OHFA’s independence, reduce bureaucracy and politicization in the development process, and incentivize affordable housing production through a new state housing tax credit program.
The Senate is revising their budget Wednesday afternoon and voting on the bill Thursday, so please don’t wait! The deadline to sign is Wednesday at noon! Our goal it have at least 100 organizations sign on.
In case you missed it, below is the budget alert we sent out last week that has more information about the Senate’s bad budget changes, and how you can take further action to advocate as an individual for affordable housing.
Thank you!
Dear Members of the Ohio Senate:
The undersigned organizations share a mutual understanding that decent, affordable housing is the foundation for self-sufficiency, improved health outcomes, vitality in distressed communities, and economic growth. Therefore, we respectfully request that the Senate reject the proposal in Substitute Bill 33 to replace the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) with the Governor’s Office of Housing Transformation within the Ohio Department of Development. We ask that the House’s version of the budget be restored, as it pertains to all provisions related to housing.
The Senate’s proposal increases bureaucracy, reduces independent oversight of housing programs.
As proposed, the Senate budget would remove OHFA’s ability to issue bonds, audit and monitor projects, and direct financing programs to achieve its mission of maximizing affordable housing production in the State, and require approval from the Tax Credit Authority to finance multifamily housing projects (LSC Comparison Document Pg. 151).
Decades ago, OHFA was a division of the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), but in 2005, the Ohio General Assembly intentionally removed OHFA from ODOD to “make the agency more independent so it can more quickly adapt its programs and structure to the needs of state residents.” The State made this change to conform with best practices across the country and to specifically allow OHFA to be an independent entity that would act as a firewall between elected officials and developers to administer a wider range of affordable housing and community development programs to meet the needs of Ohio
The Senate’s proposal reverses this decision, shifting the State’s approach away from best practice, adding bureaucratic hurdles, and jeopardizing Ohio’s economic growth. Indeed, most housing finance agencies across the country are independent entities, designed to balance competing interests and prevent the politicization of housing development programs.
The Senate’s proposal will put affordable housing further out of reach for Ohioans.
Since 1986, OHFA has helped finance the construction or preservation of nearly 150,000 affordable rental units. Unfortunately, the need for affordable rental housing has grown even faster, especially in recent years. A March study found that Ohio has a deficit of 270,000 housing units for extremely low-income families, a shortage that grew 6% worse in one year. Almost 70% of extremely low-income Ohioans are severely rent-burdened, spending more than 50% of their income on rent.
As currently structured, OHFA leverages limited resources allocated by the federal government to successfully facilitate housing investment and generate economic benefits for Ohio by leveraging public-private partnerships to drive affordable housing production. Currently, Ohio is competitive in its efforts to attract private affordable housing investment because states with stable, consistent, and transparent programs, like OHFA, attract higher prices for their tax credits, which draws more investment.
Increasing bureaucracy and the potential for political interference in the tax credit allocation process will likely result in decreasing the value of Ohio’s tax credits. This would reduce private investment and push affordable housing further out of reach for many Ohioans. A drop in tax credit pricing results in fewer projects being developed in the state. Every 10-cent reduction in pricing would result in 400 -1,000 fewer affordable homes available, at a time when Ohioans are already struggling to afford the homes, they live in.
Given the current dire need for affordable housing in Ohio, it would be detrimental to disrupt the progress OHFA has made since 2005 when the legislature intentionally made it an independent agency. In the years ahead, OHFA must continue to be a key player in addressing Ohio’s housing challenges. To do so, OHFA must remain an independent agency so that it can, without disruption, continue to:
- Self-fund its own operations and be highly rated nationally; Administer essential federal rental housing resources;
- Provide reliable sources of capital in the affordable housing system;
- Substantially increase its impact by continuing to grow its assets and net worth, and;
- Reach underserved borrowers and markets
Furthermore, we are concerned that other changes in the substitute bill regarding the Historic Preservation Tax Credit, Opportunity Zones, Community Reinvestment Areas, and Tax Increment Financing will also stifle private investment in affordable housing. We urge the Senate to remove these provisions and restore language in the House’s version of the budget to create a new Workforce Housing Tax Credit program and implement a uniform valuation method for assessing local property taxes. Enacting these proposals will better position our State to address the shortage of affordable housing in Ohio.
Sincerely,
- Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO)
- Enterprise Community Partners
- Ohio Apartment Association
- Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging
- Ohio Association of Foodbanks
- Ohio Association of Health Plans
- Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
- Ohio Capital Finance Corporation
- Ohio CDC Association
- Ohio Council for Affordable and Rural Housing
- Ohio Domestic Violence Network
- Ohio Housing Authorities Conference
- Ohio Housing Council
- Ohio Mayors Alliance
- Ohio Municipal League
- Ohio Poverty Law Center
- Ohio Urban Community Action Network
- Ohio Women’s Affordable Housing Network
- Ohio’s Hospice
- Habitat for Humanity of Ohio
- The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers
- Leading Age Ohio
- NAMI Ohio
- Finance Fund
- National Affordable Housing Trust
- National Church Residences
- NeighborWorks Collaborative of Ohio
- Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland
- Sisters of Charity Health System
- Greater Ohio Policy Center
- Advocates for Ohio’s Future
- Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio
- Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati
- ACCESS, Inc
- ACEnet, Inc
- ACW Care
- Acoust-A-Fiber
- Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc.
- Affordable Housing Advisors, LLC
- Affordable Housing Advocates
- Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
- Alliance for Children and Families, Inc.
- American Community Developers, Inc.
- Area Agency on Aging District 7 – Ohio
- Artemis Center
- Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board
- Aurora Project, Inc.
- Barbara Poppe & Associates
- Bay Interfaith housing
- Beach House Inc dba Leading Families Home
- Beacon 360 Management
- Beacon Communities
- Bellwether Enterprise Real Estate Capital
- Belmont Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Bennett Martin Consulting
- Bethany House
- BJ Brown and Associates LLC
- Borror Development Company
- Bridges Community Action Partnership
- Buckeye Community Hope Foundation
- Buckeye Ridge Habitat for Humanity, Inc.
- Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc.
- Butler Metro Housing Authority
- CANAPI
- Central Community House
- Central Ohio Housing Action Network
- Central Ohio Symphony
- CHC Addiction.org/OMCDC
- Cherry Street Mission Ministries
- CHN Housing Partners
- Cincinnati Development Fund
- Cincinnati Northside Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation dba NEST
- City Mission of Findlay
- City of Cleveland
- City of Delaware
- CityWide Development Corporation
- Cleveland Neighborhood Progress
- Clinton Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Columbus City Schools
- Columbus Compact dba Columbus Empowerment Corp.
- Columbus Early Learning Centers
- Columbus Housing Enterprise
- Common Threads Closet
- Community Action Commission of Fayette County
- Community Action Committee of Pike County
- Community Action Wayne/Medina
- Community Building Partnership of Stark County, Inc.
- Community Counseling Center of Ashtabula County
- Community Development for All People
- Community Housing Network
- Community Housing Solutions
- Community Matters
- Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio
- Community Properties of Ohio
- Community Shelter Board
- Concord Counseling Services
- Cornerstone Renter Equity
- Corporation for Supportive Housing
- Council on Aging Southwest Ohio
- County Corp
- Dayton Energy Collaborative
- Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Del-Mor Dwellings Corp.
- Delaware Area Chamber of Commerce
- Delaware County Against Human Trafficking Coalition
- Delaware County Housing Alliance
- Delaware Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging and Disabilities
- Downing Community Advisors
- DPP Property Services, LLC
- Drake Construction Co.
- DRK Consulting, LLC
- Dublin Capital Group, LLC
- East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp.
- East End Neighborhood Development Corporation
- EDEN Inc.
- Elevate Northland
- Episcopal Retirement Services
- Eradicating Systemic Poverty Team, Oxford Presbyterian Church
- Erase the Space
- Erie Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Fair Housing Center for Rights & Research
- Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc.
- Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation
- Fairfield Homes, Inc.
- Famicos Foundation
- Family & Community Services
- Family Promise of Lima-Allen County
- Family Promise: Promise House Delaware and Impact Station Marysville
- Firelands Habitat for Humanity
- Franciscan Village
- Franklin County Auditor
- Franklinton Development Association
- Franklinton Rising
- Freedom BLOC
- Friends of the Homeless of Tuscarawas County
- Gallia-Meigs Community Action Agency
- Gladden Community House
- Great Lakes Community Action Partnership
- Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition
- Greater Dayton Real Estate Investors Association
- Green National
- Grovedale Consulting
- Gualtieri Law Offices
- Habitat for Humanity in Wayne County, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity Lima Area
- Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County
- Habitat for Humanity of Fulton County, Ohio
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity of Knox County Ohio
- Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning Valley
- Habitat for Humanity of Medina County
- Habitat for Humanity of Ottawa County
- Habitat for Humanity of Richland & Crawford Counties, Inc.
- Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio
- Habitat for Humanity of Summit County
- Habitat for Humanity of the Tri-State
- Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio
- Haven of Hope
- Highland County Homeless Shelter
- Hocking Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Home for Families
- Home is the Foundation
- Home Repair Resource Center
- HomeBase Cincinnati
- Homefull
- HomeOwnership Center of Greater Dayton
- Homeport
- Homes on the Hill CDC
- Housing Network of Hamilton County
- Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Greater Cincinnati
- Huckleberry House
- Human Service Chamber of Franklin County
- Humility of Mary Housing
- Hunger Network in Ohio
- I&D Consulting Services
- ICAN Housing
- IMPACT Community Action
- Inclusive Housing Resources
- Integrated Services for Behavioral Health
- Ironton Lawrence County CAO
- Joseph & Mary’s Home
- Jurisdiction-wide Resident Advisory Board, Inc.
- Just 4 Them
- Kennedy Heights Development Corporation
- KM Date Community Planning, LLC
- Knickbocker Senior Apartments
- Lake-Geauga Habitat for Humanity
- LakewoodAlive
- Liberty Community Center
- Licking County Coalition for Housing
- LISC Cleveland
- LISC Greater Cincinnati
- LISC Toledo
- Lots of Love Learning Center
- Lowenstein Development LLC
- LSC Service Corp (Barton Communities)
- Lucas Housing Services Corporation
- Lucas Metropolitan Housing
- Luken Solutions
- Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry
- Lutheran Social Services
- Mansfield Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Marion Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Maumee Valley Habitat For Humanity
- MaxHousing
- Medina Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati
- Miami Valley Community Action Partnership
- Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, Inc.
- Mid-Ohio Board for an Independent Living Environment
- Midwest Affordable Housing Management Association
- Millennia Housing Management
- Montgomery County Office of Reentry
- Mt Auburn Community Development Corp (MACDC)
- Mt. Washington CDC
- Mustard Seed Development Center
- My Sister’s Place
- Neighborhood Development Services, Inc.
- Neighborhood Housing Partnership of Greater Springfield
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton
- Neighborhood Properties, Inc.
- NeighborWorks Toledo Region
- Netcare Corporation
- New Era Benefits Consulting, Ltd.
- Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless
- Northeast Ohio First Suburbs Consortium
- Northern Ohioans for Budget Equality Fairness
- Northwest Neighborhoods CDC
- Norwood Together
- Oberer Companies
- Oberlin Community Services
- Ohio Animal Advocates
- Ohio Fair Lending
- Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation
- One South Euclid
- OneEighty, Inc.
- Our Lady of Angels Apartments, Inc.
- Over-the-Rhine Community Housing
- Parma Public Housing Agency
- Parsons Avenue Redevelopment Corporation
- Partnerships for Housing
- People in Need Inc. of Delaware County
- Physicians CareConnection
- Pivotal Housing Partners
- PLACES Incorporated
- Preservation of Affordable Housing
- Price Hill Will
- Randall B. Shorr, Attorney at Law
- Rebuilding Together Central Ohio dba Modcon Living
- Refuge Host Homes
- Renewal Housing Associates, LLC
- Renter Mentor
- Resident Resources Network
- Residential Administrators, Inc.
- RevUrbanist Studio
- Right Path Financial Coaching, LLC
- RLH Partners, Inc.
- Rock of Faith Community Development Corporation
- Rotary Commons Sr. Housing
- Saad & Saad LLP
- Safe Harbor
- Salus Development
- Sanctuary Night
- Sandusky County Habitat for Humanity
- Sandusky Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Sawmill Road Management Company
- Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses
- SourcePoint
- Spatialist LLC
- Spire Development, Inc.
- Square One GJM
- St. Mary Development Corp.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society of Central Newark
- Stark Housing Network
- Stemen, Mertens, Stickler CPAs & Assoc.
- Strategies to End Homelessness
- Sunset Development
- Talbert House
- TASC of Northwest Ohio
- Tender Mercies
- THE ABCD, INC
- The Akron Leadership Foundation
- The Board of Mahoning County Commissioners
- The City of Whitehall
- The Columbus Urban League
- The Commonwealth Companies
- The Community Builders
- The Family Resource Center
- The Orlean Company and ABC Management Co.
- The Partnership Center, Ltd.
- The Provident Companies
- The Summit Group
- The Well CDC
- Tidwell Group
- Transformation Life Center
- Transformations CDC
- Trotwood Community Improvement Corporation
- Twin Towers Neighborhood Association Dayton
- UNIK Foundation
- United Church Homes
- United Way of Central Ohio
- United Way of Delaware County
- United Way of Greater Cleveland
- United Way of Summit & Medina
- Vacant and Abandoned Property Action Council (VAPAC)
- Village of Yellow Springs
- Vistula Management Co.
- Vogt Strategic Insights
- Wallick Communities
- Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation
- Warren Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Wayne Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Welcome BG
- Westwood Works
- Weybridge Realty LLC
- Willowood Manor/Fairview Park Sr Housing/LSC Corp
- Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.
- Wooster Homelessness Task Force
- Yellow Springs Home, Inc.
- YMCA of Central Ohio
- Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation
- Youth Over Us, inc.
- YWCA Columbus
- YWCA Hamilton
- YWCA Mahoning Valley
- Zanesville Housing Development Corporation
