LAST Day to Secure Discounted Room Rate for GOPC Summit!

Today is the FINAL day that the discounted room rate will be available at the Westin for the GOPC Summit, “Restoring Neighborhoods, Strengthening Economies,” to be held June 9th-10th in Downtown Columbus.

The 2-day Summit will feature speakers from both the public and private sectors, including civic, political, philanthropic, non-profit, and business leaders. New strategies for transforming Ohio’s cities and regions and for making Ohio economically competitive in the 21st century will be presented, including cutting-edge tools and practices, effective partnerships, and policy solutions.

The GOPC is proud to announce that Mayor Michael Coleman of Columbus will be the lunchtime keynote speaker on the first day of the Summit. There will also be a networking reception with members of the Ohio General Assembly later that day.

Click here to register and make a hotel reservation for the Summit!

Legislative Update: Fast Track Foreclosure & Service Station Cleanup

Ohio General Assembly Reviews Bill that will Fast Track Foreclosure on Problem Properties House Bill 134, formerly known as HB 223 in the 130th General Assembly, has been re-introduced by bill cosponsors Representative Cheryl Grossman (R-Grove City), and Representative Mike Curtin (D-Columbus).

This bill will expedite the time it takes to foreclose on a vacant or abandoned residential property, leading to a faster turnaround for managing and mitigating blight in Ohio’s neighborhoods.  Specifically, HB 134 aims to:

1. authorize a municipal corporation to file for foreclosure on vacant and abandoned residential properties,
2. permits blighted properties on sale at a sheriff's auction to be listed without a minimum bid on the second sales attempt, and
3. permits a municipality to dispose of blighted properties at their convenience if such properties have not been disposed of through a sheriff's auction.

As a result of the bill, additional foreclosure actions may be filed by municipal corporations with the appropriate court of common pleas or municipal court, and those properties in turn could be sold through a sheriff's sale, or if unsold, disposed of in a manner deemed appropriate by the municipal corporation that filed the action.

Since the bill’s introduction in late March, the bill has been moving quickly with a third hearing in the House Financial Institutions, Housing, and Urban Development Committee on Wednesday, May 20th. With the rate the legislation is moving and no testimony in opposition to the bill, HB 134 remains in good standing and could be up for a possible vote out of committee by the end of this month.

GOPC has offered support to assist Representatives Grossman and Curtin, and is working collaboratively with the Ohio CDC Association and other Interested Party members, such as the Ohio Bankers League (OBL), and various other stakeholders of this legislation. Proponents of HB 134 include the Ohio Mortgage Bankers Association (OMBA), Safeguard Properties, Community Blight Solutions, SecureView companies, the City of Columbus, and the Buckeyes State Sheriffs’ Association.

HB 134 continues to receive widespread, bipartisan support and GOPC is optimistic the bill will pick up more momentum as more members of the Legislature learn of the positive impact it will have on Ohio’s communities.

GOPC Testifies to Ohio’s Senate Finance Workforce Subcommittee on the Service Station Cleanup Fund Program

Image by Matthew Rutledge

Government Affairs Manager Lindsey Gardiner recently offered interested party testimony to the Senate Finance Workforce Subcommittee on the Service Station Cleanup Fund Program contained within the Ohio Development Services Agency’s budget, which is part of the 2016-2017 Operating Budget (HB64).

Gardiner gave the following remarks (excerpt from testimony):

“We were pleased to see that the Operating Budget proposes the creation of a Service Station Cleanup Fund (Sec. 610.20). We have made three recommendations for consideration in the Budget.

1. Expand the definition of property owner to include organizations that have entered into an agreement with a political subdivision, which will be better prepared to manage the challenges associated with these contaminated sites.
2. Clarify the definition of cleanup or remediation to include the acquisition of a class C release site, demolition performed at a site, and the installation or upgrade of the minimum amount of infrastructure that is necessary to make a site operational after other clean up measures. Adding specifics to this definition will ensure properties are shovel-ready.
3. Adjust the grant amounts for property assessment from $500,000 to $100,000 and cleanup from $2,000,000 to $500,000. Average assessment costs for small sites like a service station usually range from $20,000 to $120,000 and cleanup and remediation of these sites often can be accomplished with $100,000 to $600,000.”

GOPC is very pleased to see a commitment by the state of Ohio to assist communities in priming sites that will directly support local economic development efforts. Ohio has much economic redevelopment potential locked-up in contaminated sites and remediating these locations will help businesses thrive and create places where people want to live. We hope that the Service Station Cleanup Fund is the first of several programs that leverage the investments needed for these sites, which are located in so many of Ohio’s communities.

Announcing the Keynote of the Greater Ohio Summit

Greater Ohio Policy Center is excited to announce that Mayor Michael Coleman will be the lunchtime keynote speaker at the GOPC Summit, Restoring Neighborhoods, Strengthening Economies. Mayor Coleman will speak at noon on June 9th, the first day of the Summit. Since taking office in 2000, Mayor Michael B. Coleman has built Columbus’ reputation as one of the most livable cities in the nation by building stronger, safer neighborhoods, creating jobs and maintaining a high quality of life. Mayor Coleman is the first African-American and longest-serving mayor in Columbus history, the 3rd longest serving Mayor in the country, and the longest-serving African-American mayor among major U.S. cities.

“Coleman seems to focus relentlessly on the kind of urban renewal that will make Columbus attractive to the next generation,” wrote Matt Bai in Yahoo! News in December of 2014.

Mayor Coleman will be one of the many leaders who will be sharing innovative ideas and new approaches for transforming Ohio’s cities and regions for a new era at the Summit.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to hear from many of the leading voices of revitalization at this one-time-only event. The discounted room rate at the Westin Columbus is available until May 19, 2015. Click here to register now and make a reservation.

Also, Make Sure to Join Us for the Networking Reception with Members of the Ohio General Assembly!

On June 9th, from 4:15-6:15pm at the Westin Columbus, Greater Ohio Policy Center is hosting a networking reception with Representatives and Senators from across the state.  Click here to register now and join us for this special event that is part of the Greater Ohio Summit.

Want to know who else is attending? Click here to see the list of attending organizations.

Donate to GOPC on May 12 and boost your dollars!

The Big Give is Coming to Central Ohio! For 24 hours, beginning Tuesday May 12, at 10:00 a.m., the Columbus Foundation will increase your online donation of $20 or more made to the Greater Ohio Policy Center!

Starting at 10am on May 12^th and ending at 10am on May 13^th, the Columbus Foundation is matching on a pro rata basis all donations made to nonprofits and charities in central Ohio.  The pool is $1.3 million and the Greater Ohio Policy Center is an eligible recipient!

Everyday GOPC works with leaders in the public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to advance policies and programs that support the redevelopment of existing communities, strengthen regional cooperation, and protect the countryside and Ohio’s natural resources.

Support from donors like you help fund the work we do; won’t you join us in championing revitalization and sustainable growth in Ohio?

Best of all, you don’t even have to live in central Ohio to participate in the Big Give!

How it Works

Step 1: Beginning at 10 a.m. on May 12, visit http://columbusfoundation.org/ and click on the Big Give banner.

Step 2: Search for Greater Ohio Policy Center. Click the Give Now button. 100% of your donation will go to GOPC.

Step 3: Enter your credit card information to complete your donation of $20 or more. There is no maximum amount.

The Big Give ends at 10 a.m. on May 13. Please make a gift during this 24 hour period—this is a rare opportunity to make your dollar go even further!

If you have any questions, please call the GOPC office and we can help: 614-224-0187.

Greater Ohio Summit: Last Call for Award Nominations, Hotel Reservations

The Greater Ohio Policy Center invites you to attend our 2015 Summit, Restoring Neighborhoods, Strengthening Economies: Innovation & Sustainable Growth in Ohio's Cities & Regions. This Summit will bring together national experts, state policymakers, and local leaders from all sectors to discuss new strategies for transforming Ohio’s cities and regions and for making Ohio economically competitive in the 21st century. Click here to see the Summit agenda.

The discounted room rate at the Westin Columbus is available until May 19, 2015. Click here to register now and make a reservation.

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Last Call for Greater Ohio Sustainable Development Award Nominations!

The Awards will recognize public, private, and non-profit sector leaders who are working to create vibrant and sustainable communities and regions in Ohio.  TODAY is the deadline for award nominations.  Click here to find out more & send in your nomination.

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Interested in Sponsorship Opportunities?

By becoming a sponsor of the Restoring Neighborhoods, Strengthening Economies Summit, your organization will be supporting the seminal statewide Summit in Ohio that brings together national experts with state policymakers and local leaders to highlight ways to transform Ohio’s cities and metros. Sponsors will be featured at the Summit and on promotional materials, and will have exhibit tables throughout the event.

For questions or sponsorship opportunities, please contact Marianne Eppig of Greater Ohio Policy Center (meppig@greaterohio.org or 614-224-0187).

Managing Distressed Properties at Wells Fargo Community Development

Guest post by Lauren Martinez of Wells Fargo REO Community Development In a little-known corner of Wells Fargo lives the REO (real estate owned) Community Development Team. This 30 person team, on a basic level, manages distressed properties that have gone through foreclosure while trying to find a suitable nonprofit organization or municipality to receive the properties as donations. The idea is pretty simple, but the effects of the idea create something wonderful out of (nearly) nothing.

This program began in 2009 and has grown over the past six years to donating more than 1,500 properties each year. Of course, there are some regions and states that see more donations than others, states like Florida, Maryland, and, more recently, New York. Wells Fargo operates both a large scale program that donates multiple properties at a time to organizations that have a housing-focused mission and extensive experience rehabilitating homes, as well as a smaller scale program called the Community and Urban Stabilization Program (known as CUSP). This program focuses on a wider target of non-profit organizations and places of worship that do not necessarily have a housing mission but do have the desire and ability to rehabilitate and use a distressed property for a good purpose. The underlying idea of both of these programs is to provide these non-profits and the communities that they serve with an opportunity to stabilize neighborhoods that need it.

It’s truly inspiring to see the wonderful things the nonprofits do with the properties. From vacant lots, we’ve seen community gardens and parks appear; from distressed homes we’ve seen food pantries, low income housing, non-profit office and meeting spaces take shape. The possibilities are virtually endless, and we at Wells Fargo are so proud to play a part in it. It’s no secret that the non-profits are those that put in the long hours and hard labor to put these homes and lots to good use. I often like to think of the process as growing a garden. The non-profits spend the time cultivating, watering, nurturing and weeding out what’s causing the blight. We’re providing the seed for the organizations to make something beautiful out of a less than ideal situation.

“From a small seed a mighty trunk may grow.” –Aeschylus

If you’d like more information on our programs, please visit http://reo.wellsfargo.com/community.

The pictures provided below are before and after photos of a rehabilitation completed by the Trumbull County Land Bank, located in Warren, Ohio. This non-profit organization’s focus is “to help return vacant and abandoned properties in Trumbull County, Ohio, to productive use.” The house is now a “first home” for a young couple.

GOPC's Recommended Transportation Policies Signed Into Law

On Wednesday, April 1^st, Governor Kasich signed the state transportation budget bill. This $7 billion budget bill includes two important provisions that GOPC strongly advocated for and that will help lay the foundation for a more diverse and modern transportation system in Ohio. GOPC’s successful policy provisions include:

1. Performance metrics that allow for comparison of performance across transportation modes. The legislation directs ODOT to use these metrics to assist with statewide strategic planning processes and investment decisions (exact language can be found in Sec. 5501.08 of the transportation budget). With this new language, Ohio will be joining other states, such as Pennsylvania and North Carolina, in utilizing metrics to guide transportation investment. This provision should help public transportation compete for additional funding.
2. Joint Legislative Task Force on Transportation Issues. Throughout the legislative process, GOPC championed the creation of a task force that would analyze transportation funding. This Task Force has a broader focus, but must report by December 31, 2016 on the funding needs and recommendations for funding transportation. There is significant bi-partisan support for this Task Force (the exact charges of the Task Force can be found in Sec. 775.40). This Task Force creates an opportunity to further explore funding options for multi-modal and public transit.

GOPC thanks the Legislature for considering these provisions and incorporating them into the final budget that went to the Governor.  Without support from key legislative champions, these provisions would not have been signed into law.

Click here to see the final transportation bill (follow the link for "Transportation and Public Safety Budget FY2016 and FY2017").

The UpDayton Summit

UpDayton Volunteers

Guest post by AJ Ferguson, Director of UpDayton

The 2015 UpDayton Summit will be held on Friday, April 10th at the Dayton Art Institute from 2pm to 6pm. You can learn more or register online at http://updayton.city/.

UpDayton seeks to spur economic growth in the Dayton region by attracting and retaining young creative talent. UpDayton wants to show young adults that the Gem City is a great place to live, work and play. And if top-notch creative young professionals want to live in our community, then top-notch entrepreneurs, businesses and investors want to be here, too!

UpDayton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The vast majority of UpDayton’s impact stems from the work of volunteers who want to build a better Dayton for themselves and their peers. Volunteers lead and power UpDayton’s targeted committees and projects that address factors college graduates and young professionals employ when they decide what city to call home.

Each year, UpDayton hosts a young creatives summit, bringing together diverse young talent, business leaders, non-profits, universities and elected officials to address the flight of young talent from the region. At the each Summit, the Dayton region’s diverse young creatives come together to share their needs and concerns for the Miami Valley and brainstorm ideas to make the region a better place to live, work and play.

Primary goals of the annual Summit:

• Solicit young, creative professionals for their needs, cares and concerns and challenge attendees to devise ideas for making the region a better place to live, work and play

• Launch a community action plan based on the Summit ideas and recruit attendees and other young creatives to implement the plan

• Educate young creatives about regional assets through a Summit Resource Fair

• Foster great collaboration between the region’s young professional organizations

• Attract local media attention

The Summit is an annual event intended to sustain a constant, community-coordinated focus on attracting and retaining young talent in the region. Each year the Summit is an opportunity to highlight the progress of the previous Summit’s action plan and launch new projects.

During the breakout sessions, attendees discuss possible project ideas for the coming year and ultimately choose the three that will be implemented. Each project receives $1,000 in seed money and the support of UpDayton’s network of volunteers and partners.

In 2014, projects included:

Dayton Inspires - A community pride social media campaign encouraging the community to recognize how Dayton inspires our own personal greatness, ambition and achievements, and to remind us why we’re proud to call Dayton home.

Wright Now Downtown - An effort to better connect the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base community to downtown Dayton.

Downtown Disc Golf - An effort to bring a new disc golf course to Dayton well within the reach of downtown residents.

Other notable projects:

SR-35 Pedestrian Bridge Mural - This bridge mural brought new life and vibrancy to a bridge connecting two of Dayton’s strongest historic neighborhoods.

Walkable Dayton - This project team put up basic wayfinding signs throughout downtown Dayton that emphasize the city’s walkability.

Streetvival - This placemaking project brought an inspirational and interactive mural to a Dayton neighborhood. The mural included chalkboard paint areas for community members to add their own messages of hope and optimism.

GOPC Testifies to New Jersey Legislature on Benefits of Land Banking

On Monday, GOPC Executive Director Lavea Brachman gave testimony to the New Jersey legislature Housing and Community Development Committee on the status of land banks in Ohio to help inform their consideration of proposed land bank legislation for New Jersey.

At the invitation of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, Brachman gave the following remarks (excerpt from testimony):

“Similar to New Jersey, Ohio’s cities have been hit hard by urban blight and decline, experiencing some of the highest foreclosure and vacancy rates in the country. At its height in 2009, Ohio’s foreclosure filings was almost 90,000 per year, and the vacancy rates have climbed to devastating levels of over 15% in such cities as, Cleveland, Youngstown and Cincinnati, and over 20% in Dayton and many other cities and towns around the state.   These vacancies have also cost municipalities exponential amounts in collateral damage, represented in the form of public safety hazards and decreased property values.

In 2008, in response to this unparalleled foreclosure and vacant and abandoned property crisis, the Ohio General Assembly, with bipartisan support, passed legislation creating Ohio’s first county land bank, piloted in Cuyahoga County (where Cleveland is located). In 2010, GOPC and a coalition of partners from around the state successfully advocated for passage of legislation that extended land bank authority to an additional 42 out of Ohio’s 88 counties (based on a population threshold), permitting these specified counties to create a hybrid organization that combines the private sector efficiency of a non-profit corporation with the public purposes, powers and funding of a governmental organization.

Ohio land banks are a welcome example of a state policy implemented with appropriate local control intervening effectively to jumpstart local market operations. While Ohio communities have a long way to go to return to economic and physical health—and while there is room for land banks to maximize further use of their tools to help individuals thrive and achieve community revitalization—many cities and counties are actively leveraging their land banks’ capabilities demonstrating that well-intentioned state policy interventions in combination with local capacity and oversight can work in tandem with market operations. They are working so well that a recent proposal floated by the county treasurers’ association to expand land banks to the rest of the counties in the state.”

GOPC applauds the New Jersey legislature for considering the merits of land banks, which have made significant strides in blight elimination and neighborhood revitalization throughout Ohio.