Look Who it Was Random video

Tax credits will help create affordable housing in Over-the-Rhine

39 views · Published 20 December 2018 · 2:19 · Indexed 9 October 2026

Channel: LOCAL 12 · 2018 · News & Politics

Watch on YouTube

OVER-THE-RHINE, Ohio (WKRC) - More affordable housing is coming to Over-the-Rhine thanks to state historic tax credits, which will help rehab now-vacant buildings on Vine Street.

Mary Rivers, the executive director at Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, knows firsthand how much the neighborhood needs affordable housing. She's been working here for 25 years.

“Right now, unfortunately, we're not taking applications because we have such a stockpile of applications that we need to be able to process,” said Rivers.

Data from Xavier University shows Hamilton County has a shortfall of 40,000 affordable housing units.

“We have about 470 units in our inventory, and we maintain an occupancy of about 97 to 98 percent," said Rivers.

That’s why Rivers is grateful for the tax credits. They will help transform vacant buildings on Vine Street into 32 new units.

“It is a drop in the bucket compared to the huge need, but every single drop counts, and for the people who will live there, those units are very important,” said Rivers.

If you’re a single person, to qualify for affordable housing, you have to make between $16,000 and $24,000 a year. With that income level, you could qualify for a one-bedroom apartment as low as $300 a month.

“We need to provide more units of housing, quality housing, that people can afford to live in under the definition of affordability. That means they don't have to spend more than one-third of their income on housing,” said David Mann, a Cincinnati city councilman.

The OTR Project comes at the same time Mann's Affordable Housing Fund gets the green light from Cincinnati City Council.

“The possible uses include subsidizing rent, helping developers put together a package that allows them to offer affordable housing, some of the money could be used to support anti-eviction programs,” said Mann.

While City Council is still looking for a steady stream of income for the fund, Mann and Rivers say this is a step in the right direction.

“We have to keep adding. If we keep adding 32 units and 32 units and 50 here and 60 there, you know, we'll get to where we need to be,” said Rivers.

The rehabbed buildings are located at the corner of Vine and Liberty streets. As for the Affordable Housing Fund, City Council is considering a tax on short-term rentals.

More from this channel