Ohio REALTORS Testifies on SB 145 to Bridge the Housing Gap
By Anastasia Kotkovskaya, Manager, Advocacy and Research
A growing shortage of homes in Ohio has reached crisis levels, with a deficit of nearly 270,000 affordable housing units and 100,000 single-family units. This lack of availability, coupled with rising home values and property taxes, has made it difficult for many Ohioans to access the housing market. In response, Ohio REALTORS® are backing key legislation –Senate Bill (SB) 145 – that addresses these challenges head-on by expanding development tools across the state.
This week, Ohio REALTORS® provided testimony to the Senate Housing Committee in support of this bill, which includes several pro-housing initiatives. The legislation makes several changes, including:
- Renaming the Department of Development to the Department of Housing and Development, which recognizes housing as a key driver of economic growth and realigns the Department to reflect that mission.
- Creating a statewide Ohio Housing Dashboard and Ohio Housing Toolkit, offering data for local leaders, and providing Ohio residents with greater insights into housing trends.
In his testimony, CEO Scott Williams shared:
Ohio REALTORS® recognized the importance of provide local governments with resources to address the state’s housing supply needs, which is why earlier this year Ohio REALTORS® and the Greater Ohio Policy Center developed a guidebook that offers voluntary tools that local governments, developers, and others can use to overcome barriers to housing development (Housing Ohio: Tools for Development). We believe this guidebook for local governments could be included in the Ohio Housing Toolkit and could be expanded as the state and other stakeholders coordinate efforts on how to best remove barriers to new housing construction.
SB 145 additionally proposes the following:
- Enhancing the Welcome Home Ohio Program, which helps land banks turn vacant or blighted properties into affordable, owner-occupied homes for income-eligible Ohioans. SB 145 proposes lowering square footage requirements, including mixed-use and manufactured housing, and increasing the amount of the tax credit.
- Revises the mission of TourismOhio and campaign to promote Ohio as a “pro-housing state.”
This legislation is important to strengthening Ohio’s housing market and modernizing our housing development programs. As this bill moves through the Senate legislative process, Ohio REALTORS® will continue to advocate for policies that increase opportunities across the state.
Learn more about SB 145 below:
