2025 Convention Legislative Recap: Key Statehouse and Local Updates
At last week’s Ohio REALTORS® Annual Convention & EXPO in Cleveland, members packed the room for one of the most talked-about sessions of the event: the Legislative Update with government affairs staff Andrew Huffman and Veronica Cardello.
This session was a front-row seat to what’s happening at the Statehouse and in communities across Ohio, and why it matters to your business. Huffman and Cardello discussed what Ohio REALTORS® is doing to protect property rights, expand housing access, and advance the real estate industry, whether at the state level or in local jurisdictions. Key takeaways from the session include:
State Policy Watch – Advocacy at the Statehouse
- Wholesaling reform is finally gaining traction. Two bills aim to protect homeowners, especially seniors, from predatory tactics that look a lot like practicing real estate without a license.
- Ohio REALTORS® is actively engaging with lawmakers to prevent overly restrictive short-term rental bans at the local level, while supporting reasonable regulations that address community needs.
- Foreign ownership restrictions are making headlines, and we’ve secured REALTOR® protections in legislation that’s pending in both the House and Senate.
- Squatter laws are tightening. We are supporting bills that crack down on fraudulent leases and protect rightful owners from legal nightmares.
- The Governor may have vetoed key property tax reforms, but we’re not backing down. We’re still pushing to:
- Stop unvoted property tax hikes
- Bring transparency to levy language
- Offer real relief to Ohioans on fixed incomes
State Operating Budget and Investments in Housing
The budget bill (HB 96) included several significant REALTOR®–supported policy provisions beyond standard appropriations:
- $125 million invested in new housing development initiatives
- A revolving loan fund for rural development infrastructure construction
- Grants to communities near big job hubs that are ready to build
- Elimination of loopholes in the law limiting property valuation challenges made by political subdivisions
Local Wins, Real Impact
Cardello highlighted wins at the local level, including:
- Shaker Heights’ rollback of burdensome point-of-sale inspections
- Columbus REALTORS® conducted a Consumer Education Campaign on wholesaling, and shut down a “rent control lite” proposal
- Dayton REALTORS® collaborated with local communities on zoning reforms and planning efforts, providing data-driven input to guide smart, long-term growth
- REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati reformed the American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) in a way that removed administrative barriers that had limited access for first-time homebuyers.
- In Kirtland, Ohio REALTORS® worked with city council to pause a proposed citywide short-term rental ban and establish a work group to explore balanced solutions.
- Cleveland passed a new zoning framework in 2024 and is advancing rezoning efforts in 2025 to support infill development and modern mixed-use patterns.
- Columbus adopted its “Zone In” zoning overhaul in 2024 and is continuing implementation in 2025, unlocking new housing capacity through updated districts and targeted rezoning.
- Cincinnati adopted its “Connected Communities” zoning reform in 2024, with implementation continuing in 2025 to expand housing options and modernize outdated single-family restrictions.
- In 2025, Cleveland Heights City Council advanced amendments to the Part Eleven Zoning Code to update standards for parking, driveways, accessory structures, and residential site design.
- Springfield adopted a fully updated zoning code in early 2025, the first major overhaul since 2001, modernizing development guidelines and permitting processes.
- South Euclid and neighboring first suburbs implemented single-family zoning updates in 2024–2025, removing variance barriers to enable more infill housing on thousands of parcels.
Tools You Can Use: Housing Ohio Toolkit
Need help navigating infill development or zoning reform in your community? The new Housing Ohio Toolkit, developed in collaboration with the Greater Ohio Policy Center, is packed with practical resources, including free, pre-approved building plans that can cut design and permitting costs.
From advocacy at the Statehouse to boots-on-the-ground wins across Ohio, this update served asa reminder that REALTORS® are in the room, and at the table, when decisions are made.
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