Dueling plans to make Ohio housing affordable for all

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — When Ohio lawmakers return from break in mid-May, they are likely to consider competing ideas of how to ease the cost of housing in Ohio.

This week, House Democrats introduced a proposal, sponsored by Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp.), to stimulate more homebuilding in the state with a $100 million loan program. 

“This is how you launch a housing boom: you stimulate the economy around it,” Brownlee said. “The funds will be used to catalyze construction of single-family homes, duplexes and small apartment buildings for up to 20 units.”

According to the Democrats, the money for such a program has already been appropriated in the state operating budget, but is only available for housing development in rural parts of the state. 

“Not one single application has even happened,” Brownlee said. “The money is just sitting there, not stimulating the housing economy. What we want to do with this is restructure it so that money goes to all Ohioans.” 

Under Brownlee’s proposal, loans would be available for small to medium-sized developers, homeowners who want to add residential units to their properties, and local banks that finance homebuilding projects. Brownlee said that would also be a revolving loan program, with repayments going back into the fund to finance projects in perpetuity. 

 Republicans are unlikely to seriously entertain the Democrats’ proposals, but the majority party has expressed concern about the housing crisis facing the state. Speaker of the House Rep. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has suggested that addressing the state’s housing supply would be a priority when lawmakers return to Columbus.

Republicans would prefer to spur housing development by removing what they consider regulatory roadblocks, rather than by directly stimulating homebuilding. Huffman praised House Bill 361, sponsored by Reps. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) and Tex Fischer (R-Canfield). That bill would require local governments to streamline the approval process for new housing developments. 

“If we want less expensive housing, and by that, I don’t mean cheaper, not-as-good housing, I mean houses that cost less, we have to stop putting up impediments to getting those houses,” Huffman said. “Frankly those are done mostly at the local level.” 

Huffman went on to say he’d like to get H.B. 361 passed in May or June.