Situated on two busy rivers, the City of Portsmouth quickly became one of the most important industrial cities between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. The twentieth century ushered in a period of decline, but local leaders have recently taken impressive steps to revitalize the riverside community.

Leaders in the City of Portsmouth identified housing as an important component of city’s revitalization journey, launching a comprehensive housing analysis as a first step to understand housing conditions across the city. The Scioto Foundation, the Southern Ohio Medical Center (SOMC), the City of Portsmouth, and the Portsmouth Metropolitan Housing Authority (PMHA) engaged the Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) to analyze market rate and affordable housing conditions within the municipality.

Redeveloping in the Comeback City: A Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis for Portsmouth, OH presents thoughtful policies to stabilize neighborhoods and preserve existing housing stock. The study presents 16 recommendations, organized into 5 priority areas, to enhance housing in the City of Portsmouth. The five priority areas are:

• Ensure the City is Open for Business

• Understand the Quality of Portsmouth’s Housing Stock and Pro-Actively Work to Stabilize It

• Protect Homeowners and Occupied Homes

• Secure Future Opportunities through Site Control

• Stabilize and Rebuild the Market

This comprehensive housing market analysis is intended to provide the City of Portsmouth with resources to complement housing conversations and policy initiatives already underway, and serve as a touchstone to guide local leaders in their continued efforts to address the housing needs of the community. The study will help to identify challenges and seize opportunities to improve the city’s housing stock, to the benefit of current and future residents.

The recommendations presented by GOPC require the collaboration of public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic partners.