Advocating for Legacy Cities

Ohio has over 22 legacy cities and dozens of legacy towns and villages. These places are home to millions of residents and thousands of businesses. GOPC educates state policymakers on the challenges and opportunities found in Ohio’s legacy cities and advocates for sensible state policies and programs that can help our cities—and thus the state—stabilize and thrive.

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.

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.

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

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.

Related Publications

Equitable Development in America’s Smaller Legacy Cities 

May 2021

Legacy cities can promote long-term growth while addressing racial and economic inequities laid bare by COVID-19 using strategies mapped out in this Policy Focus Report, produced in collaboration with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Using case studies of successful initiatives, the report guides practitioners through equitable investment in both physical projects and people.

Impact of Repealing Emergency Municipal Income Tax Provisions 

April 2021

For over six decades, working Ohioans have paid income taxes to the jurisdiction where they work. Recognizing the unprecedented situation created by the pandemic, the Governor and Legislature established the emergency measure to minimize burdensome paperwork on businesses and moderate the financial impacts of the pandemic on cities. In two reports, GOPC shows how attempts to repeal the emergency response are short-sighted and will seriously threaten Ohio’s large and small communities, jeopardizing Ohio’s economic competitiveness.

From Akron to Zanesville: How Are Ohio’s Small and Mid-Sized Legacy Cities Faring?

June 2016, Last Updated January 2020

Ohio’s small and mid-sized legacy cities—older industrial cities with populations greater than 20,000 situated in metropolitan areas with less than 1 million residents—are important contributors to Ohio’s economy and social fabric. Like Ohio’s larger legacy cities—Cincinnati and Cleveland—these cities faced decades of serious challenges stemming from population loss and the decline of large-scale manufacturing that were further compounded by the Great Recession.

Revitalizing America's Smaller Legacy Cities

August 2017

In this report published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, authors Hollingsworth and Goebel examine the trajectories of 24 smaller legacy cities across 7 states from 2000 to 2015.  Five Ohio cities are included in the report – Akron, Dayton, Hamilton, Lima, and Youngstown. The authors found that while many of these cities are facing severe challenges, strong and collaborative local leadership can help these communities forge a path forward.

Recent Testimony

Additional Resources

www.legacycities.org  

GOPC contributed content to this national website of best practices and research, hosted by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. 

www.ohiocdfis.org

This website contains more information about Ohio’s community development financial institutions. GOPC proudly staffs the Ohio CDFI Network.

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.

Preparing a Successful Bid for Capital Budget Dollars webinar 

September 2019

In partnership with Heritage Ohio and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, GOPC hosted a webinar providing communities with a “101 on the Capital Budget”, and examples of small communities utilizing capital budget dollars for thoughtfully planned projects, including their planning steps and process to secure funds. View this webinar and slides.

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