The city of Cincinnati has awarded $1.9 million in funding to affordable housing projects, with another $1.2 million likely pending community engagement.
The $1.9 million is from the city's Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) process; this year's awards go to four projects for a total of 36 housing units.
"From the city's perspective, we are facing a housing crisis — we need more housing in the city," said Director of Community and Economic Development Markiea Carter. "We also know that we need more affordable housing."
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The $1.2 million in conditional awards come from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, which holds property tax revenue from new developments in the district; it can be spent on new public infrastructure or housing projects in the district.
One of the projects is six units in Evanston and the other is 14 units in Over-the-Rhine.
"Combined, we are looking at about six projects that represent the creation of a little under 60 affordable housing units," Carter said.
Earlier this year, City Council approved a change to allow tax abatements for certain affordable housing projects without a council vote. That's already been happening for projects with Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC); now it also applies to projects awarded NOFA or funding under the city's Affordable Housing Leverage Fund.
Council member Reggie Harris led that effort when he first took office in 2022, then to expand the program in early 2024.
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"When the city grants a letter of support or the city is considering a project for funding, all of that vetting that they do to make sure that the financial project is financially viable already occurs," Harris said. "And so this idea that the city then needs to come back to council ... seems repetitive."
The projects granted tax abatements since January total 163 units in seven projects; see a full list at the end of the article.
Carter says not having to get City Council approval for a tax abatement saves a developer three to six weeks of time.
"Those three to six weeks mean a lot to some of these developers," Carter said. "We're able to take a few of those weeks off the processing time to ensure greater accountability and a deliberateness of trying to move these projects forward."
The projects listed with a NOFA award are eligible to apply for a commercial tax abatement, except for the single-family homes; those are eligible to apply individually for a residential tax abatement.
NOFA/TIF awards
Affordable Homeownership by Habitat: New construction of nine single-family homes with LEED Gold certification.
- Units: 9
- Income target: 80% AMI
- Developer: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati
- Neighborhood: Over-the-Rhine
- NOFA award: $515,000
938 Dayton St.: Rehabilitation of one building and a shared courtyard patio and garden with LEED certification.
- Units: 6
- Income target: 60%, 80% AMI, market rate
- Developer: Grey Rock Development LLC
- Neighborhood: West End
- NOFA award: $425,000
940 Dayton St.: Rehabilitation of one building and a shared courtyard patio and garden with LEED certification.
- Units: 7
- Income target: 60%, 80% AMI, market rate
- Developer: Grey Rock Development LLC
- Neighborhood: West End
- NOFA award: $450,000
Bogart/Glenwood Infill Housing: New construction of 14 single-family homes, each with BREEAM certification.
- Units: 14
- Income target: 80% AMI
- Developer: Avondale Development Corporation
- Neighborhood: Avondale
- NOFA award: $525,387
Omar's Redevelopment: Rehabilitation of one building and one commercial space at ground level.
- Units: 6
- Income target: 80% AMI
- Developer: Johnson Cooper Co.
- Neighborhood: Evanston
- TIF award (conditional): $232,131
OTR Scattered Site Mixed-Income: Rehabilitation of three buildings with LEED Silver certification.
- Units: 14
- Income target: 80% AMI, market rate
- Developer: Civitas/Sanders Development Group
- Neighborhood: Over-the-Rhine
- TIF award (conditional): $942,000
CRA tax abatements
Urban Sites Scattered Site (approval in process)
- Units: 31
- Developer: Urban Sites
- Neighborhood: Over-the-Rhine
740 Chalfonte Place (approved)
- Units: 10
- Developer: Avondale Development Corporation
- Neighborhood: Avondale
Blair Lofts Phase II (approval in process)
- Units: 48
- Developer: Kingsley + Co.
- Neighborhood: Avondale
Lincoln & Gilbert (approval in process)
- Units: 36
- Developer: Pennrose
- Neighborhood: Walnut Hills
South Block Properties (approved)
- Units: 4
- Developer: South Block Properties, Ltd.
- Neighborhood: Northside
State Avenue (approved)
- Units: 7
- Developer: Kaiker Development, LLC
- Neighborhood: Lower Price Hill
The Bridge (approved)
- Units: 27
- Developer: 8K Development Company
- Neighborhood: Evanston
