Increase in Conveyance Fee will Fund Affordable Housing

County Conveyance Fee Increase Provides

New Affordable Housing Resources

Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio News

Expanding the public-private partnership to address the affordable housing gap

On August 20, 2019, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners voted to increase the permissive conveyance fee by $1 to provide new resources for affordable housing. The $1 increase in the fee is projected to bring in about $70 million over 10 years. The commissioners have also pledged to continue ongoing funding for affordable housing and look for ways to reduce regulatory barriers to housing development.

The increase is $1 per $1,000 of value of real property at the time of transfer from a seller to a buyer. The permissive fee was last raised in 2005 and funds the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County and the Community Shelter Board .

This action was based on county research and consultation with experts to determine the appropriate role for the county in addressing the county's affordable housing needs. Two studies that informed the decision are the Economic Development Strategic Plan and the Affordable Housing Implementation Framework.

“Based on what we look at with the housing plan and all of the components of what we plan to do with stimulating the market, that dollar would give us the resources needed for now and the next few years,” Commission President Marilyn Brown said.

Commission President Marilyn Brown

Commissioner John O'Grady

Commissioner Kevin Boyce

Initially, the new resources will be used to fund the new Central Ohio Community Land Trust and for investment in affordable housing development projects to leverage other public and private resources.

Alliance Chair E.J. Thomas stated, "We are grateful to the County Commissioners for taking this step. The community response to the affordable housing needs of our residents has been incredible. With the Columbus $50 million bond issue passed by the voters in May, the $100 million Housing Action Fund launched in June by Huntington National Bank and multiple private sector and philanthropic investors, and now the County's conveyance fee increase, the Alliance's 3-Year Start-Up Plan resource goal has been met. We have a great foundation for the hard work ahead to address our growing housing challenge."

AHACO Members

• The Columbus Foundation

• Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority

• Community Development for All People

• Community Housing Network

• Community Shelter Board

• Creative Housing

• Finance Fund Capital Corporation

• Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio

• Homeport

• Homes on the Hill

• National Church Residences

• National Affordable Housing Trust

• The NRP Group

• Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing

• United Way of Central Ohio

• Wallick Communities

• Woda Cooper Companies

• YMCA of Central Ohio

• YWCA Columbus