Happy Holidays from everyone at the Greater Ohio Policy Center!
We are grateful for colleagues and partners whose commitment to building vibrant, sustainable, communities in Ohio drives us. Thank you for helping GOPC accomplish so much in 2024!
Helping Communities Unlock their Brownfields
GOPC was proud to host the 2024 Ohio Brownfield Conference on May 8 in Dublin. This year, 325 attendees were able to take advantage of continuing learning opportunities, networking, and more. We appreciated partnering with the Ohio EPA to facilitate this year's conference! We will again host a conference in 2025, with details below.
During the Brownfield Conference, we also announced the introduction of House Bill 519, which outlines a source of dedicated funding and other important changes to ensure the long-term funding of state brownfield remediation.
Last week, GOPC released “The Benefits of Brownfields for Ohio’s Communities: An Analysis of the Brownfield Remediation Program Over the Past Three Years”. This white paper examines the $659 million awarded between 2022 and 2024 for the Brownfield Remediation Program.
Finally, GOPC's Jason Warner and Aaron Clapper appeared on the NBC4 (Columbus) Dayside Program to discuss the importance of investment in brownfield remediation. You can watch the full video here.
Improving & Increasing Housing Options throughout Ohio
In April, GOPC provides recommendations to increase rental and homeownership housing options in the City of Portsmouth. With a focus on implementation, the Housing Action Plan includes a detailed guide to stabilizing and increasing housing options. GOPC also worked with Reinvestment Fund and the city of Akron to develop a roadmap to increase housing quality and options for all residents.
We have also been working throughout 2024 with the Eastgate Regional Council of Government on development of a regional housing strategy for the Mahoning Valley. This work is intended to help lead to greater housing stability and more housing options in the region.
GOPC was proud to assist the city of Cleveland Heights in their work to approve zoning changes that will allow for the development of Accessory Dwelling Units in the city. GOPC's Aaron Clapper was a member of the advisory committee that selected model ADU design plans for the city to approve.
Encouraging Transportation Options
In July, GOPC published How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers. The guide describes innovative approaches to making neighborhoods and streets calmer, safer, and more welcoming to people of all ages and abilities, all in service of helping local government staff, elected officials, local advocates, and their partners develop ‘complete streets,’ that are safe for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.
Charting New Paths for Ohio’s Legacy Cities
In the Spring, GOPC and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy completed exploratory scenario planning processes with the city of Hamilton and city of Cleveland Heights. These processes helped city staff and residents consider a range of futures for their cities and how best to respond and prepare for these possibilities.
Recognition of our Work
GOPC was honored by the Ohio Land Bank Association (OLBA) in 2024 as the "Partner of the Year" during the association's annual conference in Akron.
In October, the Columbus Dispatch ran a series of articles that focused on GOPC's previous research which we published in 2022, “Columbus + Ohio: A Tale of Two States”. The series has generated a great deal of attention and is leading to an important discussion state policymakers need to have about the future of Ohio.
Looking Ahead: Advocating for the Tools Ohio’s Communities Need
In September, GOPC published our latest public policy agenda, “Responsible Growth, Sustained Prosperity”. The agenda calls for state policy changes that will give leaders in Ohio’s legacy cities and counties the programs they need to successfully build on assets, protect the strength of existing workforces, and maintain a high quality of life, while also calling for policies that will help the state’s rapidly growing regions seize opportunities and ensure all residents benefit from the regions’ growth.
Throughout 2025, we will be walking the Statehouse hallways advocating for the issues most important to our work, including brownfields, housing, transportation, and legacy city revitalization.
Follow our online bill tracker, and social media accounts, including Blue Sky, Threads, Facebook, and LinkedIn, as well as our blog for the latest on where revitalization-related policies stand.
If you too believe in vibrant, sustainable cities and regions in Ohio, consider supporting GOPC with an end-of-year contribution. We thank you for your generous support.
All the best for 2025!