The November 2024 elections will seat a new two-year General Assembly.
In anticipation of fresh opportunities for policy change and programmatic adjustments, Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) has released its 2025-2026 public policy agenda: Responsible Growth, Sustained Prosperity, which calls for state policy changes that recognize the path to prosperity can look different for different places. The platform identifies state policies and tools that are sensitive to local context to ensure all communities can continue to contribute to Ohio’s standing as an economic leader.
As Ohio’s champion of legacy cities and places, GOPC believes candidates should have answers and plans to the following questions.
Unlock Areas of Prime Land
Ohio has hundreds of sites with utility infrastructure, transportation access, and nearby workers, which are currently unusable. Environmental contaminants from previous uses are the only barrier to their future use. In the last four years, Ohio has invested $700 million to assess and clean-up a portion of these brownfields sites. These funds have leveraged millions of additional private and public dollars.
GOPC is proud to have championed this investment, working with policymakers to reactivate land that will house new businesses, homes, and recreation spaces. However, thousands of brownfields still exist across Ohio.
In 2021 and 2023, the Ohio General Assembly made historic investments of $350 million in each operating budget to mitigate environmentally contaminated sites in the state. Despite this substantial, one-time, investment, the program will uncover more potential projects than there are currently funds for.
Do you support the continued investment of state funding to revitalize and redevelop brownfield sites across Ohio?
The Ohio Revised Code, as an example, permits the use of liquor profits received from JobsOhio to fund the Clean Ohio Revitalization Fund for brownfield redevelopment, among other options. HB519 has been introduced to dedicate these excess liquor profits to permanent brownfields grant program.
Would you support the creation of a permanent, dedicated source of funding revenue for the clean-up, redevelopment, and revitalization of brownfield sites in Ohio?
Lower Barriers to Responsible Development
Ohio’s communities do not have a sufficient inventory of quality, attainably-priced homes for homeowners or renters. This is putting immense pressure on the entire housing market.
And many places have underutilized commercial districts that could provide the amenities and services Ohioans need. In Ohio’s current real estate environment, financing and producing affordably-priced products is difficult. Outdated zoning codes can compound costs.
State investments that help communities correct their zoning codes, adopt new housing production tools, control costs, and lower risks will retain current Ohioans and attract prospective employers and residents.
Communities know there are many benefits to doing residential in-fill development. But such projects can be hard to finance and build. Other cities around the country are seeing promising outcomes from ‘pattern books’ or collections of architectural designs, which a city or county preemptively approves for use within their jurisdiction. Pattern books, particularly for trickier infill lots and neighborhoods, will help lower developer fees and shorten development timelines.
State funding and programmatic support to help local governments institute common zoning changes will also improve local conditions for development. Such funds can help local communities create and adopt their own pattern books and/or better coordinate operations to more effectively support housing development.
What would you do to assist communities in establishing zoning codes that reduce the time and paperwork needed to build structures the market demands and communities need to grow and succeed?
Do you support providing resources to local governments that want to use a publicly available statewide Pattern Book to increase infill housing development?
Many central business districts and commercial corridors are under-utilized in Ohio because developers and entrepreneurs are unable to secure risk-tolerant, low-cost capital that is comfortable with weak real estate markets or untested businesses. CDFIs, a type of lender trusted by the Ohio Department of Development, lend and intensively coach businesses and real estate projects that cannot access traditional bank loans.
Would you support efforts to rebuild Ohio’s commercial corridors? Would you consider creating a statewide fund that provides grants to Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), which have extensive track records of successfully reactivating commercial spaces and coaching small business owners?
Housing costs are not expected to decrease in the short term, and the demand for quality, attainably-priced homes remains high.
Do you support programs that encourage private- and nonprofit developers to produce homeownership and rental opportunities? Would you support commonsense adjustments to the Welcome Home Ohio program and the state Low Income Housing Tax Credit?
Institutional real estate investors, backed by Wall Street speculators, have been rapidly converting single family homes into rental property. Often targeting ‘starter homes’, this practice is shutting out first-time homebuyers and preventing families from creating permanent, stable homes for themselves and their children.
Do you support legislation to safeguard the American dream for Ohioans who want to own homes and rent in communities they desire? Would you be willing to put guardrails around the types of activities and portfolio sizes of institutional investors?
Support and Reward Planning and Responsible Growth
At the end of the day, all development is local. Local government leaders are eager to bring new residential, commercial, and industrial development to their community, but may not always have the expertise or financial resources needed to reach these goals. Sixty percent of the state’s GDP comes from counties that are expected to experience population contraction; responsible growth and the state’s partnership with these places will be essential for their long-term prosperity.
Ohio’s cities and rural counties need comprehensive, long-range, development plans. Such blueprints for future prosperity should be based on realistic expectations around population trends and economic development opportunities. These types of plans will then help local leaders make strategic investments in roads, water, sewer, recreation, schools and other public facilities. Development plans will also help attract new housing and economic development, and protect against haphazard and unsustainable growth, which can detract from the quality of life.
Do you support the state providing local governments with financial and technical assistance for communities that wish to complete comprehensive development planning?
Ohio has a number of existing programs and policies that are targeted to communities with elevated rates of poverty, or smaller population numbers, or are located in historically distressed regions. These policies, which are sensitive to local context, create a level playing field.
Do you support adjusting more existing programs and future programs to be sensitive to the opportunities and challenges of Ohio’s legacy places and growing areas will ensure no community is left behind?
Connect Ohioans to Opportunities and independence
In the next 25 years, Ohio is projected to lose 5.7% of its 2020 population. This means we will have fewer rate payers available to support the long-term maintenance costs of Ohio’s highways and roadways. During this same time period, Ohio’s motor fuel tax receipts are expected to decline.
Simultaneously, the share of aging Ohioans will grow and their desire for independence will continue. Working age Ohioans, especially those in urban job centers, will look at other states and expect Ohio to have a similar range of transportation options that are safe and convenient.
Today, Ohio’s transportation system is built out and the marginal gains expected from proposed new expansion projects will come at high costs for future generations. Now, and in the future, the state must be responsible stewards of limited public dollars.
Do you support prioritizing and maintaining our current highways and roadways at the highest levels possible, critically assessing the cost and benefits of any new expansion projects, and limiting system expansion to only the most needed projects that show clear, long term demand?
Local governments and ODOT are making streets safer for cyclists, pedestrians, transit-riders, and drivers . However, funding for these safety measures is modest and typically implemented through individual, small-scale projects. Transportation investments that are appropriate to the local context, will boost safety and convenience, support healthy lifestyles, and create vibrant places where people want to live, shop, and work.
Do you support a comprehensive approach to creating local roadway and mobility infrastructure that gives Ohioans of all ages more and safer transportation choices?
Despite historic levels of funding in the last six years, public transportation systems are still struggling to get workers to jobs, and others like seniors and people with disabilities, to their destinations. In addition, 25 Ohio counties still have no public transit services.
Do you support maintaining or increasing the current level of state investment in transit?
Expanding passenger rail service in Ohio will increase connections between and within the state’s regions and connect Ohio to the Midwest. This connectivity will be vital as remote and hybrid workplaces remain the norm. Viable cross-state passenger rail will reduce the assumed need for roadway expansion and allow existing rail infrastructure to better support the increased demands of commercial and industrial freight logistics.
Do you support an investment in passenger rail service for Ohio?