Amid affordable housing crisis, Cincinnati developers rely on state agency that favors Columbus projects

 

A pair of developers are returning to the state for a third time hoping to win a tax-credit award needed to advance an affordable housing project deemed crucial for Uptown Cincinnati.

 

Local stakeholders are keeping an eye on the outcome. The Ohio Housing Finance Agency, or OHFA, serves as gatekeeper for the largest state and federal affordable housing subsidies available to Ohio developers. But the agency's own data going back 18 months indicates it funds Columbus-area projects more often than projects elsewhere in the state.

 

Developers in Cincinnati have taken notice.

 

Over-the-Rhine Community Housing and 8K Development, in partnership with the Clifton Heights Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., hope to build the $20 million affordable housing project on the west side of Vine Street at Polk Street in the CUF neighborhood, more commonly known as Clifton Heights.

 

The 57-unit project, which does not yet have a name besides “Vine & Polk,” is expected to be income-restricted to those making between 30% and 60% of the area median income. It would mark the first affordable housing project in Clifton Heights, according to CHCURC Director Matt Bourgeois.

 

The developers first applied to OHFA in early 2024 for 9% federal low-income housing tax credits, which traditionally fund around 70% of a project’s total cost. OHFA administers the competitive program on behalf of the federal government.

 

Way more below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/03/05/vine-polk-uptown-low-income-housing-tax-credit.html

 

"OHFA's scoring system drives home the point that location matters, and Southwest Ohio doesn't have nearly enough flat, developable land near services and amenities." - so it seems like we are being punished by the scoring rubric measuring a circle around the proposed developments and seeing a lot of "affordable" land because it sits vacant or is a hillside even though the flat developable land that we DO have is expensive enough to show we need more affordable housing? Seems like an issue with how they measure their "objective metrics and program guidelines".  

Cincinnati City Council, mayor fret about density: 'We have to build affordable housing somewhere'

 

Cincinnati City Council members approved a zoning change for a new Walnut Hills apartment project Tuesday but not before several members said they were alarmed that the developer slashed 100 units from the proposal to satisfy neighborhood residents.

 

Kingsley + Co. plans a 182-unit apartment building along Interstate 71, but shrank the project by 100 units after Walnut Hills’ community council objected to its scope. The 3.9-acre project sits in a largely industrial area of Walnut Hills at 2846 May St., 150 feet from Interstate 71. The closest homes are roughly 340 and 359 feet away, as the crow flies. City Council’s housing committee approved changing the zoning from manufacturing to urban mix April 8, with a final vote expected April 9. The housing will be income restricted, with Kingsley planning to secure state low-income tax credits.

 

Councilman Mark Jeffreys noted that 3,000 Cincinnati Public Schools students are homeless, some sleeping in cars with their families.

 

“I am really worried,” Jeffreys said. “We just reduced the number of units by 100. I don’t blame you guys, the developer. We have to build affordable housing somewhere. It’s on this council to give clear directions that we have to prioritize more units and more units of affordable housing.”

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/04/09/council-housing-density-walnut-hills-apartments.html

On 3/5/2025 at 1:28 PM, ColDayMan said:

The 57-unit project, which does not yet have a name besides “Vine & Polk,”

 

Sounds like a trendy restaurant.

Quote

“Engagement with the community is vital but is not the end-all-be-all with how we make decisions.”

Cincinnati’s strong neighborhood identity “sometimes can cause us to be Balkanized,” he added, “and prevent the city from growing.”

Stick these quotes straight in my veins. I'm so sick of good projects getting reduced, cancelled or sued into oblivion because a vocal minority of NIMBYs in a community council.

1 hour ago, ucgrady said:

Stick these quotes straight in my veins. I'm so sick of good projects getting reduced, cancelled or sued into oblivion because a vocal minority of NIMBYs in a community council.

The communities need to do better with how they express their opinions, far too many violate every key element of effective communication and do more harm to the causes they claim to support. 

On the other hand, while the city's engagement efforts have improved a bit, there are still many things they should be doing to better engage. To me, that starts with sharing the appropriate data.