If Cincinnati's Walls Could Talk – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Guest Interviewee: Kathy Schwab

Hosted By: Logan Price, Arthur Schmid

Written By: Logan Price  

Produced By: Teddy Morgan-Jablonski

Edited By: Harris Eidelman

Researched By: Asmita Gurung, Samiha Tasnima

Episode Description:

Welcome to the concluding episode of the third series of If Cincinnati’s Walls Could Talk, a podcast collaboratively produced by our Housing Systems class, taught by Doctor Hayden Shelby. This series has focused on the financing of affordable housing, exploring the complexities and opportunities in addressing the housing crisis.

In this final episode, our hosts revisit the fundamental questions: What is housing, and why is it so important? They reflect on insights from a veteran housing advocate Kathy Schwab, whom our team got a chance to interview, discussing the challenges and aspirations for Cincinnati’s affordable housing landscape.

Key topics include: The findings of the Housing Our Future report, which sets an ambitious goal to build 20,000 affordable units by 2030 yet highlights the struggle with only 3,329 units completed to date.

Persistent challenges like Hamilton County’s limited success in securing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), the complexities of “Baklava Financing” and the absence of well-funded “Super CDC” similar to those in Columbus or Cleveland.

Despite these challenges, the episode ends on a hopeful note, emphasizing growing public awareness of the housing crisis. The hosts urge listeners to recognize housing as a fundamental human right and advocate for meaningful change.

Episode Timeline:

·     Why it Matters- 00:00

·     Affordable Housing in Cincinnati- 02:15

·     Challenges We Still Face- 03:21

·     Reason to Hope- 05:55 

References:

Housing Our Future Summary of Progress 2020 -2023, (2023). LISC Greater Cincinnati.

https://www.lisc.org/media/filer_public/b4/13/b413c178-735a-43c9-8ec9f375d23571b7/hof_summary_of_progress.pdf

Housing Our Future Strategies for Cincinnati and Hamilton County, (2020, May). Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

https://www.gcfdn.org/wp content/uploads/2020/07/housing_our_future_-_5-27 2020.pdf

Housing Affordability in Hamilton County, (2017, February). LISC Greater Cincinnati.

https://www.lisc.org/media/filer_public/a1/16/a116fbab 4be3-4704-98e6 83f633b7d893/asset_upload_file30_13212.pdf

Cincinnati’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund Available for Use Four Years after Being Established, (2022, October 3). National Low Income Housing Coalition. https://nlihc.org/resource/cincinnatis-affordable-housing-trust-fund-available-use-four-years-after-being-established

Costello, B. (2023, May 23). Just one project in Hamilton County will get a low-income housing tax credit this year. 91.7 WVXU News. https://www.wvxu.org/local-news/2023-05-23/hamilton-county-low-income-housing-tax-credit-spaeth-kelly-hall

Thank you to our Professor Hayden Shelby and Guest interviewee Kathy Schwab.

Written by Logan Price

Hosted by Logan Price and Arthur Schmid

Produced by Teddy Morgan-Jablonski

Edited by Harris Eidelman

Researched by Asmita Gurung and Samiha Tasnima

Additional resources:

 Interviewee: Kathy Schwab

Local Initiatives Support Corporation: LISC Greater Cincinnati

Low Income Housing Tax Credit: LIHTC

Ohio Low Income Housing Tax Credit: OHLITC

News Article on LIHTC deals in Hamilton County 

Super CDC: Ohio CDC

Super CDC in Columbus: Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus

In this episode of If Cincinnati’s walls could talk listeners will learn about all things CDFIs. This includes what CDFIs are, how they work, and the impact they have on affordable housing projects. Special thanks to Luke Blocher who spoke with us about the way Cincinnati development fund operates as a CDFI. Without his insights, this episode would not have been possible.

Key Takeaways:

·     What a CDFI is

·     How CDFIs get funding

·     The role of CDFIs in affordable housing

·     How funds are managed and distributed

·     Challenges in affordable housing financing

·     CDFIs supporting diverse developers

Featured Guest:

·     Luke Blocher – General Counsel and Chief Strategy Officer, Cincinnati Development Fund (CDF)

Resources & Links:

·     What is a CDFI? This Opportunity finance network page provides a description of CDFIs and explains how and who they operate for.

·     Cincinnati development fund’s page on lending shares information on their role as a lender for low to moderate income communities.

·     Cincinnati development fund Explains the affordable housing leverage fund and Cincinnati development fund’s role in managing and distributing funds.

Podcast Credits:

Thank you to Tyler Cole, Avery Keller, Celeste Leonard, Kevin Schenkel, and Makenzie Stewart for their contributions to this episode.

Conclusions

Costello, Becca. “Mercantile Library Development Set to Receive 15-Year Property Tax Abatement.” WVXU, WVXU, 9 May 2023, www.wvxu.org/local-news/2023-05 08/mercantile-library-development-property-tax-abatement. 

Planalp, Brian. “$130 Million Redevelopment of Entire Downtown Block Secures Last Piece of Financing.” Https://Www.Fox19.Com, 10 Dec. 2022, www.fox19.com/2022/12/10/130m-downtown-cincinnati-development-vaults-forward-with-state-grant/. 

Sources:

Rose, Cedric. Interview. Conducted by Sophie Roberto and Nate Carney. 2 November 2023

Sources:

Okun, David. Interview. Conducted by Carly Jones. 6 October 2023.

Al. Neyer. “The Hayden at Roebling Point.” Al. Neyer , 9 Aug. 2023, www.neyer.com/portfolio/hayden-roebling-point/.

City of Covington. “The City of Covington, KY - Official Government Website.” City of Covington, KY , www.covingtonky.gov/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

Elevar Design Group. “The Hayden.” Elevar Design Group: www.elevar.com/work/type/live/the-hayden/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

Urban Sites. “Welcome to the Hayden! A New Luxury Development with 133 Units, Luxury Amenity Spaces and Expansive Views.” www.urbansites.com/hayden/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.

Episode 5

Sources:

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2023/06/06/future-of-downtown-cincinnati-enquirer-cov

erage/70270378007/

https://www.cbre.com/insights/viewpoints/the-rise-and-fall-of-office-to-multifamily-conversions

-a-real-estate-investigation

https://www.lincolninst.edu/sites/default/files/pubfiles/home-work-lla230704.pdf

https://www.npr.org/2023/07/24/1189403058/downtown-real-estate-housing-offices

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/analysis-heres-what-it-would-take-to-turn-empty-officebuildings-into-residential-housing

https://www.wvxu.org/local-news/2021-10-28/vacant-office-space-converted-into-apartments-cincinnati

Sources:

City of Cincinnati. (1925). The Official City Plan of Cincinnati, Ohio. Retrieved from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/planning/assets/File/1925%20Official%20Plan%20of%20the%20City%20of%20Cincinnati.pdf.

City of Cincinnati. (1983). Cincinnati 2000 Plan. Retrieved from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/planning/assets/File/Cincinnati%202000%20Urban%20Renewal%20Plan.pdf.

City of Cincinnati. (2012). Plan Cincinnati. pp. 56-63. Retrieved from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/plan-cincinnati/download-plan-cincinnati/.

City of Cincinnati. (2023). Connected Communities. https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/connected-communities/

Tucker, R. (2023, May 15). Thousands of new residents have moved downtown, luring new businesses. The Enquirer. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2023/05/15/thousands-of-new-residents-have-moved-downtown-luring-new-businesses/70060551007/

US Department of Commerce. (2022). U.S. Census Bureau quickfacts: Cincinnati City, Ohio. United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/cincinnaticityohio/PST045222

Sources:

Planning History Spotlight: The Offical Plan of the City of Cincinnati (1925). (2019, July 26). City of Cincinnati . Retrieved November 9, 2023, from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/planning/assets/File/1925%20Official%20Plan%20of%20the%20City%20of%20Cincinnati.pdf

"Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Company." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/1900-1940/272us365. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.