What We Do
Preserving and investing in Ohio’s legacy city regions supports a tremendous number of Ohio institutions that contribute to our economy and make communities more attractive for residents, employers, and capital. Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) is a recognized expert on Ohio’s legacy cities and works directly with them to revitalize this engines of prosperity.
What We Have Accomplished
GOPC works with local, state, and national partners to develop and advance policies and practices that support legacy cities: those places that have lost significant population and manufacturing. GOPC uses its expertise and networks to ensure that Ohio’s legacy cities have the resources and policies they need to:
Build vibrant downtowns and attractive commercial corridors
Create stable neighborhoods for all residents
Support entrepreneurs and small businesses
Help residents build wealth and become self-sufficient
Nurturing a Community of Practice: Reinvention Cities Network
Since 2017, GOPC has stewarded and staffed the Reinvention Cities Network, a community of practice for small legacy city leaders who live in cities with 15,000 to 65,000 residents. The Reinvention Cities Network’s bipartisan membership comes from the private, philanthropic, nonprofit, and public sectors. The Reinvention Cities Network meets quarterly to identify challenges shared among member cities, learn from each other, and suggest concrete tactics and strategies. In 2018, the Reinvention Cities Network released “A Vision for Ohio’s Reinvention Cities,” which charts a bold vision for the future of Ohio’s small legacy cities. More than 30 organizations endorsed the Vision, which continues to influence GOPC’s organizational policy platform. For more about the Reinvention Cities Network, view the one pager and brochure.
Helping Communities Overcome the Appraisal Gap
The weak real estate markets in many Ohio communities often appear risky to investors who worry that they will recoup the costs they put into rehabbing a commercial building or residential property. GOPC provides recommendations for strengthening local real estate markets, which includes increasing access to risk-tolerant capital. Among other activities, GOPC staffs and stewards the Ohio CDFI Network, a membership organization of community development financial institutions (CDFIs). CDFIs provide capital and financing in places and to businesses that traditional banks are unable to serve. GOPC also advocates for state policies that make it easier for local leaders to improve their downtowns and commercial corridors, as well as champions state programs that provide flexible grants and low-interest loans for downtowns and quality of life features in residential neighborhoods.
Research & Sharing Best Practices
GOPC is a nationally recognized expert on legacy city revitalization, particularly in the context of small and mid-sized legacy cities (those places that currently have 30,000 to 250,000 residents). GOPC regularly produces research briefs, policy reports, webinars, and presentations to elevate best practices and innovative solutions that local leaders can utilize in their communities.
Improving the Quality of Life in Our Cities
Ohio’s legacy cities have walkable neighborhoods and street/utility infrastructure that can support dense development. GOPC provides recommendations and strategies to local communities on ways to invest in features that support healthy, sustainable, amenity-rich environments. Additionally, GOPC works in partnership with other state-based advocates to advocate for state policies that support place-based investments that improve the quality of life in our cities, and limit unsustainable real estate development patterns
Related Publications
Ohio + Columbus: A Tale of Two States
November 2022
Ohio + Columbus: A Tale of Two States,” analyzes 2020 Census data to identify significant trends in the state of Ohio and make the case for data-driven polices responsive to current trends.
May 2021
Former industrial and manufacturing hubs like Dayton need not choose between economic growth and equity, as growth is most durable when it benefits everyone.
Recent Testimony
Additional Resources
Rebuilding With Equity: The Future Of Smaller Legacy Cities
July 2021
This webinar builds on the Policy Focus Report Equitably Developing America's Smaller Legacy Cities: Investing in Residents from South Bend to Worcester—focusing on why equitable development is a sound strategy for smaller legacy cities today. Practitioners share stories from legacy cities that are already embracing equity and inclusion; they articulate why equity is an important goal for them and what equitable development looks like in the smaller legacy city context. View this webinar.
Testimony provided to the Senate Housing Committee on Wednesday, June 9, 2026.
Click here to learn more about Senate Bill 428.