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.

Sources:

Hirt, Sonia A. 2014. Zoned in the USA: The Origins and Implications of American Land-Use Regulation. Illustrated edition. Ithaca ; London: Cornell University Press.

Gray, M. Nolan. 2022. Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It. Island Press.

Cullingworth, Barry. 2004. Planning in the USA: policies, issues and processes. Routledge. Barry Cullingworth, Roger Caves (2013)

Welcome to our second season! This season, the undergraduate students of Land Use explore the issue of converting office and other downtown uses to housing. In the process, we unpack the history of zoning in the U.S., how zoning is changing in Cincinnati, and how two conversion projects have worked in our region.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/upshot/american-cities-office-conversion.html?searchResultPosition=1

Homesteading and Urban Redevelopment Corporation. Homesteading & Urban Redevelopment Corporation. (n.d.). https://hurccincy.org/

Mercado, A. (2024, August 2). Defining community development in order to fund it. Shelterforce. https://shelterforce.org/2024/06/14/defining-community-development-in-order-to-fund-it/

Who we are. FHLB Cincinnati. (n.d.). https://www.fhlbcin.com/who-we-are/

Woodruff, F. (2023, December 6). What is a community development corporation? - non profit news: Nonprofit quarterly. Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/what-is-a-community-development-corporation/

Special thanks to Deborah Robb, Director of Real Estate Development for HURC (Homesteading & Redevelopment Corporation) and Eric Hunn, general contractor and founder/owner of Hunn’s Construction

Special thanks to Hayden Shelby for making this season possible

References and Show Notes

Madison Lentz - Sarah Day - Lauren Dahlager - Seth Maney - Edwin Vardiman

Guest Speakers:

1. Elizabeth      Eddy - Director of Residential Development, Port of Cincinnati.

- Asset Manager for the Port’s CARE Homes initiative

- Vital source of information about institutional investors

1. Senator      Louis W. Blessing III - Ohio State senator

- Introduced to the Ohio State Senate Senate Bill 334, intended to limit bulk buying by institutional investors

- Provides institutional / governmental perspective, demonstrated span of interests in solving the problem.

Articles:

https://www.cincinnatiport.org/the-port-takes-action-to-protect-renters-and-promote-affordable-single-family-homeownership/

https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/i-team/cincinnatis-port-buys-nearly-200-houses-from-out-of-state-landlord-in-receivership

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/12/08/port-buys-cincinnati-homes-deal-194-single-family-homes-announced/6434319001/

Episode Summary:

In this episode, our co-hosts Madison and Sarah have conversations with two people involved in the process defending Cincinnati and Ohio from institutional investors. The problem with such investors, as guests Senator Blessing and Liz Eddy explain, is their overwhelming buying power and lack of concern for the wellbeing of the neighborhoods they buy. Recently, such investors have bought more and more homes across the Cincinnati Area, driving up prices in neighborhoods that experience chronic low income and low household wealth. But the Port is fighting back. As the Director of Residential development explains, Cincinnati is taking the fight to the investors, buying up tranches of homes to develop into low-cost housing owned by Cincinnatians themselves.

But the encroachment of institutional investors into housing markets is not unique to Ohio. As Ohio State Senator Louis “Bill” Blessing details in our interview, from Ohio to California homeowners are feeling the heat of the modern economy. Many turn to institutional investors for an easy buyout. But these homes are now not in good hands, and rising rents have concerned Senator Blessing. He introduced Senate Bill 334, which gives local residents and occupants of multi-family housing the opportunity to match an institutional investor’s bid. Blessing is worried about the effect a continued rising cost of housing will affect both his area of Colerain, but Ohio as a whole.

Music:

sampled from Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn”, from the 1974 Album “Autobahn” distributed by Phillips Records. Remix and adaptation by Edwin Vardiman

References

Christophers, B. (2021). How and Why U.S. Single-Family Housing Became an Investor Asset Class—Brett Christophers, 2021. Journal of Urban History. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00961442211029601

Curry, B. K. (2018, April 8). Invitation to a Housing Revolution. D Magazine. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-ceo/2018/april/invitation-homes-rental-dallas/

Hilley, J. (2012, February 27). FHFA launches pilot REO property sales. HousingWire. https://www.housingwire.com/articles/fhfa-launches-pilot-reo-property-sales/

Horn, D. & Tucker, R. (2022, July 12). “They want to make everybody a renter”: How real estate investors are changing Cincinnati. The Enquirer. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2022/07/13/real-estate-investors-big-firms-transforming-cincinnati-market/9794507002/

Lambie-Hanson, L., Li, W., & Slonkosky, M. (2019). Leaving Households Behind: Institutional Investors and the U.S. Housing Recovery (No. 19–1; pp. 1–33). Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. https://doi.org/10.21799/frbp.wp.2019.01

Working In Neighborhoods (2013, April 25). WIN Releases Annual Foreclosure Report Tuesday, April 30th—Working In Neighborhoods. https://wincincy.org/win-to-release-annual-foreclosure-report-tuesday-april-30th/

Tweh, B. (2014, April 23). Foreclosures fall in Hamilton County, remain a burden. The Enquirer. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://www.cincinnati.com/story/money/2014/04/23/hamilton-county-foreclosure-report/8037685/

Housing data for Cincinnati comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012 & 2020

Archival audio:

Barack Obama Address on Housing at Falls Church. February 1, 2012. https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barackobama/barackobamahousingfallschurch.htm

Marketplace Morning Report It seems Elon Musk likes a Twitter deal after all. October 5, 2022. https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-morning-report/it-seems-elon-musk-likes-a-twitter-deal-after-all/

Interview, Alfadhali, Adnan, and Hannah Dahlke. “Andy Meyer.” 16 Sept. 2022.

A Decade of Foreclosures and the Crisis Continues: A Study of Foreclosures in Hamilton County, Ohio in 2012. Working In Neighborhoods, 2012, https://mailuc-my.sharepoint.com/personal/dahlkehh_mail_uc_edu/Documents/podcast/Research

/Foreclosure-Report-2012_WebCopy.pdf?CT=1664924181964&OR=ItemsView.

Interview, Geckler, Sydney, and Hannah Dahlke. “Valerie Daley.” 21 Sept. 2022.

In the Shadow of the Mortgage Meltdown: Taking Stock. Working In Neighborhoods, 2013, https://wincincy.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2013_Report_Web.pdf. 

“South Cumminsville – Cincinnati". 2010 Census Data, Department of Planning and Buildings, https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/linkservid/B56F89F6-D346-4BB8-80D9D9B5CB92F16B/showMeta/0/

“South Cummingsville & Millvale – Neighborhood Profile” in Climate Equity Indicators Report 2021, City of

Cincinnati, 2021, https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/oes/assets/South%20Cumminsville%20-%20Millvale%20-%20CEI.pdf

“South Fairmount - Cincinnati”. 2010 Census Data, Department of Planning and Buildings, https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/linkservid/B57352DD-0B69-D06E-AA0DE2A1A17B53DF/showMeta/0/.

“South Fairmount – Neighborhood Profile” in Climate Equity Indicators Report 2021, City of Cincinnati, 2021, https://www.cincinnati oh.gov/sites/oes/assets/South%20Fairmount%20-%20CEI.pdf

Spotlight on the Housing Market in Cincinnati-Middletown, Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana. U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, May 2012, https://archives.huduser.gov/scorecard/pdf/Spotlight-Cincinnati-Middletown.pdf

Thank you to our interviewees Doctor David Brasington, Political Economics Professor at the University of Cincinnati with a background in public finance, urban and regional economics, and real estate finance, and City Councilmember Mark Jeffries in the city of Cincinnati with a background in business and policy, serving as an elected official and voicing support for his community residents.

References:

Babendir, B. (2019, September 14). What happened to the American Dream? 'transaction man' aims to explain. NPR. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/2019/09/14/760606299/what-happened-to-the-american-dream-transaction-man-aims-to-explain

Baily, Martin Neil, et al. The Origins of the Financial Crisis. Initiative on Business and Public Policy at Brookings, 2008. Information on how the financial crisis came into being and other critical information.

BIS working papers - Bank for International Settlements. (n.d.). Retrieved October 8, 2022, from https://www.bis.org/publ/work259.pdf

Field, A. (n.d.). What caused the great recession? understanding the key factors that led to one of the worst economic downturns in US history. Business Insider. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/what-caused-the-great-recession  Even more information on the causes that led to the Great Recession.

III, P. de la T., Boushey, H., Khattar, R., Sozan, M., Pathak, A., & Roberts, W. (2010, February 23). Recession still plagues workers. Center for American Progress. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/recession-still-plagues-workers/

Mian, Atif R., and Amir Sufi. House of Debt: How They (and You) Caused the Great Recession, and How We Can Prevent It from Happening Again. Further information on how the Great Recession occurred and how it could be prevented.

Obama, B. (n.d.). Treatment and prevention: Ending the great recession and ensuring that it doesn't happen again. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/eop/cea/speeches-testimony/treatment_and_prevention

Ravuri, E. D. (n.d.). Midwest Social Sciences Journal - Valparaiso University. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://scholar.valpo.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=mssj

Rothstein, D. (n.d.). Bizjournals.com. Retrieved October 12, 2022, from https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2009/03/16/daily12.html

References

Bureau of the Census. "1950 Census of Population." United States Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, 8 Oct 2021, https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/pc-05/pc-5-11.pdf.

Casey-Leininger, Charles. “Going Home: the struggle for fair housing in Cincinnati 1900 to 2007.” Department of History, University of Cincinnati, Winter 2008, https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAMQw7AJahcKEwig56DAwOj6AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhomecincy.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F02%2FGoing-Home-2008.pdf&psig=AOvVaw2CqwMCLD-9Pmof0TxzZODA&ust=1666138710100250

Cisneros, Jenna. “‘Uphill Battle:" Institutional Investors Impacting the Housing Market.” WKRC, WKRC, 2 Aug. 2022, https://local12.com/news/local/cincinnati-housing-market-institutional-investors-buying-up-houses-homes-rental-properties-affordable-home-ownership-port-authority-price-hill-will-local-12-wkrc-tristate-ohio-kentucky-indiana-news.

City of Cincinnati. “1986 Lower Price Hill Urban Renewal Plan.” City of Cincinnati, City Planning and Engagement Department, 5 Sept 1986, http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/sites/planning/assets/File/Lower%20Price%20Hill%20URP%201986.pdf

City of Cincinnati. (n.d.). “Census & Demographics 2000.” City of Cincinnati, City Planning and Engagement DepartmentRetrieved October 2, 2022, from https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/planning/maps-and-data/census-demographics/2000-census/

LISC. “In Cincinnati's Price Hill, Music Nourishes a Community.” Local Initiatives Support Corporation, 2 Dec. 2021, https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/in-cincinnatis-price-hill-music-nourishes-a-community/.

Thanks to our interviewees:

· Pete Witte is a lifelong resident of Price Hill and has served as Vice Chairman of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA).

· LaTonya Springs is a native of Cincinnati and Assistant Director of Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME).

· Harold Jones is a longtime Cincinnati resident and a HOME board member.

Research by: Adi Iriqat & Deven Polela

Interviews by: Annah Saladonis & Brandon Williams

Scriptwriting by: Adi Iriquat, Deven Polela, Annah Saladonis, Jason Keith, and Brandon Williams

Narration by: Jason Keith and Brandon Williams

Audio Production and Editing by: Stefano Vicino

Citations

Evans, Farrell. How Interstate Highways Gutted Communities—and Reinforced Segregation, 20 October 2021, https://www.history.com/news/interstate-highway-system-infrastructure-construction-segregation.

Gross, T. (2017, May 3). A 'forgotten history' of how the U.S. government segregated America. NPR. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.npr.org/2017/05/03/526655831/a-forgotten-history-of-how-the-u-s-government-segregated-america

Interstate 75 Cincinnati - cincinnati-transit.net. Cincinnati Transit. (n.d.). Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://cincinnati-transit.net/75-60.html

Kucheva, Y., & Sander, R. (2014, July 2).The misunderstood consequences of Shelley v. Kraemer. Social Science Research. Retrieved October 7, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049089X14001318

National Committee on Urban Transportation Plans. Better Transportation for Your City: A Guide to the Factual Development of Urban Transportation Plans. National Committee on Urban Transportation (U.S.), 1958. Repository & Open Science Access Portal, https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/15088.

Weiner, Urban Transportation Planning, 1997, 14-15; Interregional Highways(Government Printing Office, 1944), https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015031947149, 4-5.

Sources

Casey-Leininger, Charles F. “Hamilton County Stable Integrated Communities.” Housing Opportunities Made Equal, October 2011. http://homecincy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Final-HT-Statistical-Report-from-UC.pdf.  

“Cincinnati Segregation: How History Shaped Cincinnati's Neighborhoods.” The Enquirer, https://www.cincinnati.com/in-depth/news/2022/02/23/cincinnati-segregation-how- history-shaped-cincinnatis-neighborhoods/9259788002/.

Krupp, Rory, Roy A. Hampton, Charles Casey-Leininger, and Cathy D. Nelson. “20th Century African American Civil Rights Movement Historic Context Document.” Ohio History Connection, August 20, 2018. https://www.ohiohistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Civil_Rights_MPD-1.pdf.

Horn, Dan. “Segregated Cincinnati: Why 1 in 3 People Live in Predominantly Black or White Neighborhoods.” Center for Community Resilience | Milken Institute School of Public Health, 23 Feb. 2022. https://ccr.publichealth.gwu.edu/segregated-cincinnati.

Horn, Dan. “Segregation in Cincinnati's Neighborhoods: A Brief History.” The Enquirer, 24 Feb. 2022. https://www.cincinnati.com/in-depth/news/2022/02/23/segregation-cincinnatis-neighborhoods-brief-history/9259891002/=

“Housing Segregation and Redlining in America: A Short History | Code Switch | NPR.” YouTube, YouTube, 11 Apr. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5FBJyqfoLM.

“In the Suburbs.” The Library of Congress. Redbook Magazine, 1957. https://www.loc.gov/item/2019600440/.

Karr, Ronald Dale (1992) "Shelter the American Way: Federal Urban Housing Policy, 1900- 1980," New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 8: Iss. 1, Article 13.

Kendrick, Crystal. “Why so Many African Americans Have Roots in the West End of Cincinnati.” The Voice of Black Cincinnati, August 10, 2020. https://thevoiceofblackcincinnati.com/west-end-cincinnati/.

"Avondale: From High End Suburb to Urban Blight." Cincinnati Enquirer (2010-), Mar 19, 2012. https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/march-19-2012-page-a6/docview/2024759898/se-2.

"May 12, 1968 (Page 6 of 241)." Cincinnati Enquirer (1923-2009), May 12, 1968. https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/may-12-1968-page-6-241/docview/1888330011/se-2.

Thomsen, Mary. “The Way Houses Were Made in the 1900s.” Hunker, https://www.hunker.com/12567970/the-way-houses-were-made-in-the-1900s.

Thanks to our interviewee Greg Hand. Mr. Hand is a long-time resident of Cincinnati’s west side and is currently an active member of the Westwood community.

Thanks to our interviewee Doctor Fritz Casey-Leininger. Dr. Casey-Leininger is long-time Cincinnati resident and local researcher and historian.

Welcome to the first season of If Cincinnati's Walls Could Talk, a podcast by the students of Housing Systems at the University of Cincinnati. This season we will be digging into the housing policy history that laid the groundwork for large investors to buy up single family housing in the Cincinnati region. Listen to the season and then join us for one of two community conversations on institutional investors that we'll be hosting in November, 2022. You can sign up here:

Session 1: Saturday, Nov. 12 9-11 am in person at DAAP on UC campus

Session 2: Friday, Nov. 18 2-4 pm on Zoom

Link to RSVP:

https://forms.office.com/r/R87teJiU0r

Thanks for listening!

Introduction: ​

This episode focuses on College Hill, a neighborhood in Cincinnati, and the transformation of the Hollywood Apartments from disrepair to a model of affordable housing.

Key Takeaways:    The Hollywood Apartments project is a case study in leveraging local support and multiple funding sources for affordable housing. ​

CDCs play a crucial role in bridging the gap between financial challenges and community needs. ​

Community involvement and trust are essential for the success of affordable housing projects.

For more information about the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation, visit CHCURC website.

We would like to thank Kate Greene, former CEO of College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation (CHCURC), and Emmanuel Karikari current CHRCURC CEO, for their time and expertise.

Thank you for joining us for Episode 5 of this season of If Cincinnati’s Walls Could Talk.

We would like to extend our appreciation to our interviewee, Gary Boeres, Director of Housing Development at the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority, for sharing his insights with us.

We also wish to acknowledge the contributions of our team, whose efforts made this episode possible:

Research: Kylee Arvidson

Interviews: Sean Kidd

Scriptwriting: Ben Sizemore

Narration: Sam Leeman and Sean Kidd

Audio Editing: Alysse Aylor

Thank you all for your fantastic work!

Citations:

Boeres, Gary. Interview. Conducted by Sean Kidd. 22 November 2024.

Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. Development. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. Accessed 26 November 2024, from https://cintimha.com/development/

Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration). Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority. Accessed 26 November 2024, from https://cintimha.com/RAD/

Urban Sites. Bennett Point 532 and 600 East 12th. Urban Sites. Accessed 26 November 2024, from https://urbansites.com/project/bennett-point-532-and-600-east-12th

References:

City of Cincinnati. (2024). Notice of Funding Availability. https://www.choosecincy.com/nofa.

Ohio Housing Finance Agency. (n.d.). Bennett Point Proposal Summary. https://ohiohome.org/ppd/proposals/2020/UrbanOpportunity/BennettPoint.pdf.

Strieby, S. (2024, July 10). Strength in Diversity: Crafting an Affordable Housing Coalition in Cincinnati. Shelterforce. https://shelterforce.org/2024/07/10/strength-in-diversity-crafting-an-affordable-housing-coalition-in cincinnati/#:~:text=The%20report%2C%20Housing%20Affordability%20in,and%20begin%20organizing%20for%20change.

Thank you to Ryan Haas, Kale Merillat, Melissa Plaggemars, Charlie Shepherd, and Mitch Stone for their work toward making this episode possible. We’d also like to thank Stephanie Sweeney for taking the time for our interview and providing her professional input on all things LIHTC.

References

Kneebone, E., & Reid, C. K. (2021, April). The Complexity of Financing Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Housing in the United States. https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/LIHTC-Complexity-Final.pdf.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (N.d.). Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/lihtc.html.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (N.d.). Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/mfh/progdesc/disab811.

In this episode, we explore the Barrister, an innovative affordable housing project in downtown Cincinnati's central business district. Host Brady, along with co-hosts Lily and Luke, speak with Ben Eilerman, the Director of Real Estate Development at Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, about the development, funding challenges, and its transformative impact on the city. From providing affordable housing for workers across income levels to navigating the complex funding process, this episode highlights how the Barrister is reshaping urban living and contributing to a more inclusive Cincinnati.

Key Quotes:     “We are hoping to grow our city into a more vibrant community, not just for some of us, but for all of us.” — Aftab Pureval, Mayor of Cincinnati (Brick by Brick, 7:35) 

“While we’ve seen growth and development of affordable housing projects over the Rhine and Walnut Hills, the central business district wasn’t seeing that.” — Ben Eilerman 

  “I just wanted to be in my city, to have a place in my own name.” — Todd Halsell, Barrister Resident (Brick by Brick, 2:22) 

  “We wouldn’t have been able to do this without that kind of initial piece of the state historic... During that legislation... we were very much in opposition to the legislation because we knew what a critical piece that is played.” — Ben Eilerman 

Resources Mentioned:

Brick by Brick Documentary Series (PBS)    Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)  Federal and State Historic Tax Credits 

Links and Further Reading: Over-the-Rhine Community Housing Urban Sites Capital Advisors LISC - Local Initiative Support Corporation

Hosts Greg Robison and Mitali Taraikar sit down to discuss the state of affordable housing in Cincinnati and the United States as a whole. They hear from Liz Blume, who spent 30 years as a planning professional; she stresses the need for additionally affordable housing units and the increased public attention in recent years. They take a look back on the historic shift away from publicly funded housing units to subsidized housing vouchers. Liz then introduces the complicated financial system that was formed at the local level to continue the construction of affordable housing units. 

References 

Acosta, Sonya, and Erik Gartland. “Families Wait Years for Housing Vouchers due to Inadequate 

Funding.” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 22 July 2021, www.cbpp.org/research/housing/families-wait-years-for-housing-vouchers-due-to-inadequate-funding. 

Aurand, A., Emmanuel, D., Clarke, M., Pish, M., &. Rafi, I. “A Shortage of Affordable Homes.” 

National Low-income Housing Coalition. (2024). https://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/gap/2024/Gap-Report_2024.pdf 

“President Reagan's Remarks on Signing the Housing and Community Development Act on 

February 5, 1988” 2:35-3:35. https://www.google.com/search?q=Ronald+Raegan+speaking+about+housing&sca_esv 

Rosen, Eva. The Voucher Promise: “Section 8” and the Fate of an American Neighborhood. 

Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 2020. 

Thank you to our guest interview Liz Blume. Produced by Poorva Reedy, written by Iris Boyer, researched and hosted by Greg Robinson and Mitali Taraikar, and edited by Josh Johnson and Rubina Rafeeque. 

Why is it so hard to build affordable housing? In the next nine episodes, we'll tackle that questions, taking you through the complex system of affordable housing finance in Cincinnati and the United States. You'll hear case studies of developments around the city, as well as background on the infrastructure that funds and supports these developments. We hope you enjoy!