Last night, Governor Mike DeWine approved the budget, while exercising his line-item veto authority on several items.
We are excited to share that the final budget, which took effect earlier today, includes a number of provisions which will bolster community revitalization across Ohio!
These provisions will continue efforts to revitalize blighted properties, expand and protect access to affordable housing, and invest in a multi-modal transportation system that provides Ohioans options to travel to work, school, or play.
Below, we provide a brief summary of final budget provisions GOPC has been advocating on and tracking throughout the budget process. Look for more analysis in the weeks ahead in our newsletter, our blog, and through our social media platforms.
Thank you to all our supporters and partners who helped GOPC accomplish a number of our goals in our 2025-2026 public policy platform. We could not have achieved these successes without your commitment and support.
Brownfield Remediation Program
Provides $100M per year for the program ($1M reserved for each county in FY26)
Expands remediation to include demolition and infrastructure development
Eliminates “first come, first served” application process for competitive funds, requires Ohio Department of Development to review applications and award funds based on “economic merit”
Contains language about evaluating projects based on ‘the economic impact to the county, surrounding counties, and the state.’ We will push ODOD to consider all project types and end uses
Demolition & Site Revitalization Program
Provides $21.5M per year for the program
Eliminates “first come, first served” application process for competitive funds
Ohio Housing Trust Fund
Current structure of the program has been maintained
Ohio Housing Finance Agency
Agency has been retained as an independent state agency
Welcome Home Ohio Program
Provides $45M per year for the program
Qualifying median income has been increased from 80% to 120% AMI for the county where residential property is located
Maximum grant amount for qualifying residential property increased from $30K to $100K for acquisition and construction grants
Community development nonprofits may now directly apply for the grant portion of the program
Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program
Increases the annual cap on the tax credit from $60M per year to $75M per year
Transformational Mixed Use Tax Credit Program
Increases the annual cap on the tax credit from $100M per year to $125M per year
Residential Economic Development Districts
Provides $25M over the two-year budget for the program
New grant program for counties, cities, and townships to access funds for major working housing projects that construct at least 100 units.
Program is reserved for communities that adopt “pro housing policies” that includes having a “pre approval” process in place and no or minimal parking requirements for developments that include residential units, among others
Residential Development Revolving Loan Program
Provides $100M for the program
New program is intended to increase the availability of single-family housing in rural areas (counties with a population of 75K or less)
Program provides loans to develop, repair, or upgrade water, sewer, transportation, electric, or gas infrastructure needed for single-family housing
Public Transit Funding
Provides $37M per year for Ohio’s regional transit agencies
There were some provisions in the enacted state budget which we are disappointed about. In any state budget process, you must take the good with the bad. We will continue to work with the state legislature over the remaining 18 months of the current General Assembly to champion changes in state law which will support overcome these changes.
Passenger Rail
Final budget provides no state funding to support passenger rail expansion in Ohio.
Ohio will not rejoin the Midwest Passenger Rail Compact
Passenger rail representative has been removed from the Ohio Rail Development Commission