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CBI/LISC report
Community Building Institute and LISC publish Cincinnati's most in-depth housing report, which shows that our city is drastically short on the affordable housing we need. The city's deficit is more than 25,000 units; the shortage falls almost entirely on households with annual incomes below $25,000. -
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Advocacy for Affordable Housing Trust Fund
For more than a year, Cincinnatians -- most notably through Affordable Housing Advocates and the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition -- focus on a concerted effort to compel City officials to establish a local affordable housing trust fund. -
Council establishes Affordable Housing Trust Fund
The Council votes unanimously in favor of Councilmember Mann's ordinance to create the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Fund 439, to receive and spend money on affordable housing and homelessness prevention. The Fund includes limits that make sure the money is used specifically on Cincinnati's needs, as shown by the evidence in the CBI report. Councilmembers agree to assign a revenue source and oversight structure at a later date. -
Cincinnatus Association Donation
The Cincinnatus Association -- a civic, nonprofit organizations -- announces a contribution of $1,000 into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. -
"First Public Contribution"
Mayor Cranley and Councilmember Mann announce the first public investment -- a one-time contribution of $700,000 from city-owned railroad revenues -- into the "affordable housing trust fund." City Council approves this funding in a March 6 ordinance, which places the money into a capital account "to be utilized in coordination with the City's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established under Ordinance No. 364-2018." -
Fund 439 Can Receive Donations
City Council passes an ordinance authorizing the Finance Director to accept and deposit donations from private individuals and entities into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Fund 439. -
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$1,000 Total in Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Thanks to the donation from the Cincinnatus Foundation, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund 439) has $1,000. -
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$700,000 Diverted
The ordinance approving the $700,000 in railroad revenues to go to the "affordable housing trust fund" does not actually put the money into Fund 439. Instead, it places the money into a capital account "to be utilized in coordination with the City's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, established under Ordinance No. 364-2018." This new fund does not include the income limits of Fund 439. -
Council Commits Short-Term Rental Tax as Revenue
City Council passes an ordinance establishing an excise tax on short-term (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) properties, and committing the revenue to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The ordinance states that the tax revenue “shall be deposited into special revenue Fund 439.” -
Council Diverts Short-Term Rental Tax Revenue
As part of the overall 2020 budget ordinance, City Council approves an amendment to the short-term rental tax. The change re-routes the tax revenue to the City's General Fund, instead of Fund 439, and requires that the City appropriate the equivalent of the tax's estimated revenue in the following year's annual capital budget "for the preservation and development of affordable housing in the city." The money is never routed back to Fund 439. -
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Total Diverted = $1,311,000
With the approval of the 2020 City Budget, the $611,000 generated by the short-term rental tax in 2019 -- originally destined for Fund 439 -- is routed to a capital account that does not mirror Fund 439's parameters. This is added to the $700,000 already diverted. -
Second Donation from Cincinnatus
The Cincinnatus Association makes a second contribution to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund 439) in the amount of $300. -
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$1,300 Total in Affordable Housing Trust Fund
Thanks to the two donations from the Cincinnatus Foundation, the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund 439) has $1,300. -
Advocates Announce Ballot Initiative
At a march and rally for housing justice culminating at City Hall, advocates announce the launch of a ballot initiative campaign. The campaign, Cincinnati Action for Housing Now, proposes a charter amendment that would require the City of Cincinnati to allocate $50 million annually to affordable housing at the income limits specified in Fund 439. The amendment leaves the source of the revenue to be decided by City government. Advocates begin collecting signatures. -
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Cincinnati Action for Housing Now Campaign "Issue 3"
For about a year and a half, most of it in the height of the pandemic, the Cincinnati Action for Housing Now Campaign mobilizes Cincinnatians in support of a charter amendment to fund affordable housing at $50 million annually. -
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Total Diverted = $1,616,500
With the approval of the 2021 City Budget, $305,500 of short-term rental tax money is routed to a capital account. Though listed in the budget as "Affordable Housing Trust Funding," this account is separate from Fund 439, and does not mirror its parameters.
Sources diverted to date:
$700,000 railroad funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax
$305,500 short-term rental tax -
CAHN turns in over 9,500 signatures
Cincinnati Action for Housing Now submits 9,541 signatures from Cincinnatians supporting the ballot initiative to fund affordable housing at the income limits specified in Fund 439. Collected by over 200 volunteers in the middle of the pandemic, this is more than double the required number of signatures to get the issue on the ballot. The measure become "Issue 3" on the May 2021 ballot. -
City Council establishes "loan pool" managed by CDF
City Council passes an ordinance that: 1) authorizes the City Manager to apply for a $34 million HUD Section 108 Loan to establish an "Affordable Housing Loan Pool;" 2) designate Cincinnati Development Fund, Inc. to oversee this loan pool and "manage the funding available within the City's Affordable Housing Trust Fund and related capital accounts." The HUD loan is separate from Fund 439, and does not share its income limits. -
City Council creates Housing Advisory Board
City Council passes an ordinance creating a Housing Advisory Board, tasked with "establishing the City's affordable housing policy priorities, including with respect to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and related capital improvement program project accounts." The Board is also to "advise the City's third-party administrator of the affordable housing loan pool of such priorities." The 11 Board members are to be appointed by the Mayor and approved by Council. -
Mayor's Press Conference
One week before the vote on Issue 3, Mayor Cranley and other public officials hold a press conference to announce "the largest ever one-time investment in affordable housing." Officials declared an investment of $35.5 million, consisting of a $34 million HUD loan and money "from the city’s existing affordable housing trust fund," with potential to add American Rescue Act funds. -
Issue 3 does not pass
Issue 3 -- the proposed charter amendment to commit $50 million in City funds annually to affordable housing at the income limits of Fund 439 -- fails to pass at the polls. -
City Council Approves $29 million ARPA plan
Council approves a plan for $29 million remaining from the first year of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The plan itemizes a $6.4 million allocation to the "Affordable Housing Trust Fund." This $6.4 million is not part of the general ARPA funds spent at the City's discretion; it comes from HOME-ARP, a federal program under ARPA that solely funds affordable housing. It is not allocated to Fund 439, though it has similar (federally required) income limits. -
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Total Diverted = $2,116,500
With the approval of the 2022 City Budget, $500,000 of short-term rental tax money is routed to a capital account. Though listed in the budget as "Affordable Housing Trust Funding," this account is separate from Fund 439, and does not mirror its parameters.
Diverted revenue sources to date:
$700,000 railroad funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax
$305,500 short-term rental tax
$500,000 short-term rental tax -
Failed motion for dedicated revenue
Councilmember Seelbach proposes a charter amendment to fund the Affordable Housing Trust Fund with a .1% increase in the City's earned income tax. The amendment would have required voter approval on the ballot. The tax increase would have lasted for a 9-year term, generating about $170 million. The revenue would have gone to Fund 439 or an account with the same income limits. His motion fails. -
City Election
With affordable housing as a central election issue, Cincinnati voters elect a new mayor and a mostly new City Council. Newly elected candidates vow to work for real solutions to Cincinnati's affordable housing crisis. -
City announces plan for "$57 million in Affordable Housing Trust Fund"
Mayor Pureval makes an announcement indicating that -- pending City Council approval -- new contributions will bring "the Affordable Housing Trust Fund" to a total of $57 million. This "total" will include:
- ~$2M in City funds (presumably the Cincinnatus donation and railroad funds)
- the $34M HUD Section 108 loan
- a $5M re-allocation in ARPA funds
- ~$1M annually in budget surplus
- $15M in private funds -
City Council Diverts $5 million ARPA funds
Council re-allocates funding (deemed ineligible for its first allocation) from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to the "Affordable Housing Trust Fund." Instead of putting the money in Fund 439, the ordinance creates "Local Fiscal Recovery Fund 469 American Rescue Plan grant project account no. 469x101xARP200, 'Affordable Housing Trust Fund.'" This fund does not include the income limits of Fund 439. -
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Total Diverted = $7,116,500
Diverted revenue sources to date:
$700,000 railroad funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax
$305,500 short-term rental tax
$500,000 short-term rental tax
$5,000,000 ARPA funds -
Council approves Stabilization Fund policy
City Council votes to support Mayor Pureval's plan to amend the policy of managing City Stabilization Funds. This new policy governs the "waterfall funding mechanism" used to allocate surplus funds from the City's general budget; it commits a percentage of year-end carryover funds, not to exceed $5 million, to "the City's Affordable Housing Trust Fund." -
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Total Diverted = $7,727,500
With the approval of the 2023 City Budget, $611,000 of short-term rental tax money is routed to a capital account. Though listed in the budget as "Affordable Housing Trust Funding," this account is separate from Fund 439, and does not mirror its parameters.
Diverted revenue sources to date:
$700,000 railroad funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax
$305,500 short-term rental tax
$500,000 short-term rental tax
$5,000,000 ARPA funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax -
City contracts with CDF
The City approves a contract enabling Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF) to manage the City's $2,728,300 in "Affordable Housing Trust Fund" money. The contract itemizes $1,300 of this sum as "Fund 439 revenues," and the rest as "City Capital Funds." A notation indicates that the City Capital Funds are not "subject to the provisions of Ordinance No. 364-2018," which established Fund 439 as the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. -
Advocates raise alarm about Fund 439
Tipped off by figures in the newly published contract between the City and Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF), housing advocates publicly raise concerns about the City's Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund 439) having a total of only $1,300. -
Council diverts $5 million carryover funds
Amidst frustration over the City's covert diversion of funds, City Council confirms that the maximum allowed $5 million in budget surplus carryover funds will go to affordable housing. In response to demand from advocates, Councilmembers Kearney, Parks, and Johnson motion to commit this money to Fund 439 (or to a capital fund with identical income limits). The motion fails; Council diverts the money to an account with higher limits. -
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Total Diverted = $12,727,500
Diverted revenue sources to date:
$700,000 railroad funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax
$305,500 short-term rental tax
$500,000 short-term rental tax
$5,000,000 ARPA funds
$611,000 short-term rental tax
$5,000,000 carryover funds These City funds have been directed to the Affordable Housing Leverage Fund, bypassing the income limits of our City's Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund 439), which would ensure their use to address our affordable housing deficit. -
New CAHN Ballot Initiative Begins
After finalizing language for a new charter amendment, Cincinnati Action for Housing Now begins collecting signatures for its new ballot campaign.
