North Columbus News

Ohio REALTORS recently provided testimony to the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee concerning Amended Substitute House Bill 96, Ohio's two-year state operating budget. The focus of the testimony was on solutions aimed at improving housing access, protecting property owners, and strengthening the real estate industry throughout Ohio.

The testimony highlighted several key priorities. One such priority was clarifying real estate representation agreements by supporting an amendment that ensures consistent application of written agreements in residential transactions. This clarification follows language from House Bill 466 of the previous General Assembly.

Property tax reform was another significant topic addressed. The testimony focused on a provision passed by the House that aims to reduce tax rates in school districts with high carryover balances. Ohio REALTORS emphasized the need for targeted solutions, such as revisiting the 20-mill floor and strengthening protections under House Bill 920 to prevent unvoted tax increases.

Additionally, they supported language limiting political subdivision tax challenges. This would reinforce the intent of House Bill 126 from the 134th General Assembly by restricting school districts' ability to file tax valuation complaints through third-party representatives, thus providing stronger protections for property owners.

Another point of support was for expanding the Welcome Home Ohio Program. They advocated for improvements including expanded eligibility for nonprofit developers and operational updates to better address Ohio’s housing shortage.

Furthermore, support was given for creating a $2.5 million annual Housing Accelerator Fund designed to aid local governments that implement pro-housing policies such as expedited permitting and developing pre-approval processes for development plans.

However, concerns were raised about proposed changes to the oversight of the Housing Trust Fund. Specifically, there is opposition to shifting its administration from state-level control to individual counties. Centralized oversight is deemed more effective in directing resources to communities with critical housing needs.

As Senate committees continue their work on Amended Substitute House Bill 96, with a final budget required by June 30th, Ohio REALTORS plan to stay engaged with lawmakers to ensure sound housing policy advancement across Ohio.