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JULY 7, 2025 REPORT #5
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

GOVERNOR SIGNS OPERATING BUDGET INTO LAW; LEGISLATURE EYES OVERRIDE

Hours before the deadline, Governor DeWine signed HB 96 into law, issuing 67 vetoes.  This is the largest number of vetoes he has issued since becoming governor in 2019. The legislature can override Governor DeWine’s vetoes with a vote of three-fifths of legislators in each chamber.  To what extent this will occur is yet to be known.  OHBA followed all of the housing provisions included in the final version, and has been advocating for many of the changes for numerous general assemblies.  As these provisions become effective, OHBA will continue to advocate for any necessary rules or changes to ensure the programs are implemented in a meaningful way.   Below are some of the housing and land development highlights. Attached is the Governor’s veto message.

• Increase in percentage of signatures required for referendum petitions for local zoning amendments to 35%

• $25 million for Residential Economic Development Districts
  • Establishes RED districts and creates a grant program for housing developments within such districts.  Gives Department of Development the authority to adopt rules to administer the program requiring applicants (counties, townships, municipal corporations) to adopt pro-housing development policies and approve major workforce housing projects.

• $100 million Residential Development Revolving Loan Fund
  • Including suggestions provided by OHBA addressing net density requirements, exemptions for infrastructure project from excessive road standards, minimum square footage for dwellings, parking requirements, and traffic reviews.
  • Loans made to county, township or municipal corporation located in a county that has a population of not more than 75,000 and has less than average private housing units to use for infrastructure development, repair, upgrades.
  • Prevailing wage exemption was removed in conference committee

• Welcome Home Ohio (WHO) Program Expansion
  • Continued investment in WHO and adds certain “qualified nonprofit developers” as eligible applicants for grants to purchase or rehabilitate residential property under the WHO.
  • Raises the income eligibility threshold to purchase WHO funded property from 80% to 120% of the median income of the county in which the property is located.
  • Increases the amount for which WHO-funded homes may be sold from $180,000 to $220,000, and decreases the minimum square footage WHO-funded units in a multi-unit property from 1,000 to 800 square feet.

• Continued Funding for Ohio Housing Trust Fund and Preservation of Ohio Housing Finance Agency

• Governor DeWine’s veto message included language that would have prevented the Ohio Department of Health from requiring soil evaluators or soil scientists to assess soil type and slope for Household Treatment Sewage Systems (HSTS). (Item Number 23)