Login | June 13, 2025
Bill would incorporate housing initiatives into state DOD
KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News
Published: June 12, 2025
A pair of central Ohio lawmakers seeks to alleviate the state’s housing needs by incorporating efforts to plan and maintain adequate housing stock into the mission of the state Department of Development.
Senate Bill 145 would even change the name of the cabinet subdivision to the Department of Housing and Development, according to sponsors Sens. Michele Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, and Hearcel Craig, D-Columbus.
“On the surface, renaming a department might seem like a simple change, but make no mistake: Words matter. And this change sends a strong, unmistakable message: Ohio welcomes housing,” Reynolds said during a Housing Committee hearing at the state Senate. “Ohio is ready to lead. Ohio is ready to build. And Ohio is ready to ensure that every family, every senior, every worker and every child has the opportunity to call a safe and affordable place home––and to make their version of the American dream come true.”
In addition to the departmental name change, SB 145 would strengthen coordination among housing programs, community planning and economic initiatives; create the Ohio Housing Dashboard to provide real-time data and transparency on housing needs and progress; establish the Ohio Housing Toolkit, giving local governments and developers resources to build and rehabilitate homes more efficiently; and enhance financial assistance programs to support housing construction, rehabilitation, emergency housing needs and home refinancing.
“We know that housing is the foundation for everything else––for jobs, for education, for health and for economic mobility,” said Reynolds. “By renaming and restructuring the department, we are placing housing where it belongs: at the center of our development strategy.”
Craig said too many Ohioans are struggling with rising rents, high property taxes, limited options and barriers preventing them from owning a home.
“That’s why this legislation is so critical,” he said. “By renaming the department and placing housing at the forefront, we are acknowledging that the well-being of our people must be at the center of our development efforts.”
He said SB 145 would better coordinate resources and programs to meet the housing needs of urban neighborhoods and rural villages.
A provision of the bill would deliver targeted financial assistance to individuals and families through the existing Welcome Home Ohio Program, which provides grants for purchase and renovation of qualifying homes and tax credits for qualifying homeowners. Craig said the bill seeks accountability for the spending through required annual reports.
“It’s about ensuring that every Ohioan, no matter their ZIP code, their income or their background, has the opportunity to live with dignity in a home they can afford,” he continued. “Throughout my years in public service, I have seen firsthand what stable, quality housing can do. It stabilizes families, it anchors neighborhoods and it gives children the foundation they need to learn, grow and succeed. Housing is the gateway to opportunity––a basic need that unlocks economic mobility and community prosperity.”
Reynolds said SB 145 would incorporate many of the findings gleaned from what committee members learned from Ohio residents during a statewide tour to discuss housing issues during the last legislative session.
“We heard them loud and clear––from rising costs to limited availability, from barriers to homeownership to the urgent need for neighborhood revitalization,” she said.
“This is our chance to send a clear signal: Ohio is open for housing,” Craig said. “Ohio is ready to build pathways to prosperity for all. This is our moment to rise to the occasion––to align our policies with our values, and to ensure that every Ohioan has a place they are proud to call home.”
The bill, which awaits further consideration by the committee, does not include a funding allocation.
Copyright © 2025 The Daily Reporter - All Rights Reserved