Housing (Community Development)

HB 456 amends Ohio law to expand the ability of certain municipalities to adjust community reinvestment areas established before 1994. The bill directly affects local governments with pre-1994 designated areas by allowing them to modify boundaries or other features without requiring new legislation for each change. Key provisions update the existing legal process to make amendments more straightforward, reducing administrative barriers. This concrete policy change streamlines how communities can adapt reinvestment areas to current needs while maintaining their designated status.

HB 543 creates a state grant program to help eliminate food deserts - areas with limited access to affordable, fresh food - by funding local projects. It directly affects communities in underserved regions, such as low-income neighborhoods or rural areas lacking grocery stores. The bill establishes a specific grant program under Ohio law (section 122.162) and includes state funding to support initiatives like mobile markets, farmers' markets, or partnerships with existing stores. This is a concrete policy change focused on improving access to nutritious food through direct financial support for community-led solutions.

HB 154 requires school districts to approve property tax exemptions for new residential construction or remodeling in designated "community reinvestment areas" before they can be granted. Property owners seeking these exemptions must submit applications to a housing officer, who then forwards them to the local school board for approval within 45 days. The bill ensures school districts have a formal role in approving exemptions for residential properties, though it includes an alternative where owners can pay school districts 25% of estimated tax savings instead of seeking approval. This directly affects homeowners and developers in areas designated for community reinvestment, changing how tax exemption approvals are processed.

To enact sections 122.634 and 122.635 of the Revised Code to establish residential economic development districts and to create a grant program for housing developments within such districts.