OHFA Annual Plan - Ohio Housing Finance Agency

Unmet Housing Needs:• Due to the unique development needs of rural and Appalachian Ohio as described in the“Housing Need Description,” there is a lack of affordable housing in these regions. Theattached “Unmet Needs” will list those considered to be the most urgent.Best Practices, Policies, and Programs:These include programs offered by OHFA, ODOD, USDA Rural Development, the HousingAssistance Council, and the Federal Home Loan Bank. A more detailed description of theseprograms is listed in the “Best Practices, Policies & Programs” section.Recommendations for OHFA’s Annual Plan Advisory Board:• There needs to be priority emphasis on concentrated community development due tothe high cost of infrastructure and development in rural areas.• Preservation of housing units that provide a payment subsidy must be a priority sincethese cannot be replaced and the need is great.Housing NeedWhile the focus of this SME workgroup is to address the housing needs of Ohio’s Rural andAppalachian regions it is important to recognize the diversity within these two areas.For example, Appalachian Ohio is relatively easy to define and identify because of itsgeography. Appalachia is defined as a 200,000-square-mile region that follows the spine ofthe Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi. It encompassesall or part of 13 states, including Ohio. In Ohio, Appalachia encompasses 29 counties in thesouthern and eastern parts of the state. This portion of Ohio ranks as the poorest economicregion in the state. Rural, on the other hand, is more difficult to identify and agree upon asthere are literally hundreds of definitions. For the purposes of this workgroup however, wedefined Rural Ohio as persons living in villages of less than 2,500 residents or in the opencountry, which is the definition used by the U.S. Census Bureau. Collectively these two areasaccount for nearly 25 percent of the state’s population.The reasons why both areas lack access to affordable housing differ as much as theirdefinitions. In Rural Ohio, there is a lack of existing public infrastructure upon which to buildan economic base which could then support affordable housing. These areas also have asmaller and aging pollution that is spread out across multiple counties in some cases. Thelack of access to basic support services hinders sustained affordable housing efforts as well.In Appalachian Ohio, the issues listed above are relevant as well as the added constraints ofthe lack of suitable terrain to build quality housing and inconsistent rules and regulations,particularly in the area of water and sewer access.Also for so long these areas have not received adequate rehabilitation dollars resulting ina large amount of existing substandard housing stock. Unfortunately much of this housingstock is in such a state of disrepair it cannot be rehabilitated without a major financialcommitment and in some cases even that infusion of cash would not be enough.Lastly, the state of the economy has impacted these areas to a point where it will takedecades to rebuild. Rural and Appalachian Ohio often rely on one large employer to provideits economic base, and if that employer leaves it can decimate the area. Not only does itimpact those employed by that employer but also the suppliers, restaurants, and retailestablishments. In more urban areas, there are often several major employers so while oneleaving provides challenges, other employers remain to help second tier employers as wellas other related businesses.91