| Green Development Strategies and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program: A View from Columbus, Ohio In 2008, the city of Columbus took a significant step in their housing policy by making green design central to their $22.8 million, federally funded, Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Based on the Green Communities Criteria, the City of Columbus and Franklin County were able to create the AWARE Manual which describes their specific green rehabilitation standards and sample specifications, to hand out to developers, contractors, and other partners. View the full case study (PDF, 834K) |
 |
Funding Announcement: Ohio Green Communities 2010
Ohio Green Communities is a collaboration of Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH), Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) and Enterprise, with support from National City Bank, a PNC company. This exciting initiative finances affordable homes in Ohio that promote health, conserve energy and natural resources, and provide easy access to jobs, schools and services.
Ohio Green Communities brings equity, grants, technical assistance and additional flexible financing to developers building affordable rental homes. Since 2006, Ohio Green Communities partners have awarded grants to forty-four developments totaling over 2,700 affordable housing units. In 2009 alone, close to 1,200 units of LIHTC housing, with total development costs of $156.5 million, received Green Communities certification because they incorporated Ohio's comprehensive green building criteria.
Making Green Work in Ohio
In 2010, Ohio Green Communities will provide the following resources to LIHTC projects in Ohio:
- Support up to five (5) grants of $15,000 to eligible developers that meet the Green Communities Criteria. The funding is designated for use by developers to perform up-front energy services work, including energy audits, energy modeling, and/or cost-benefit analysis of energy performance aspects of the project. Eligibility is limited to 2010 LIHTC applicants that meet OHFA’s criteria.
- Provide funding (“Forgivable Loans”) for pre-development activities for a limited number of select projects across the state that exemplify innovation in green building applications, with a special emphasis being placed on Green Retrofit projects.
- OHFA will provide the appropriate financing to successfully produce sustainable and green affordable housing.
Enterprise Green Communities Criteria
Ohio Green Communities will consider applications for grants and/or financing from developers who agree to meet the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria. The Criteria were developed collaboratively by Enterprise and the Natural Resources Defense Council in consultation with other experts, such as the National Center for Healthy Housing, a leading environmental health research organization. Drawing heavily on the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System®, the Green Communities Criteria span a range of building practices that can deliver significant benefits for families, communities and the environment.
About Enterprise Green Communities
Ohio Green Communities is part of a national effort to transform the way we think about, locate and design affordable housing. Green Communities, led by Enterprise, has invested more $700 million in homes that are built according to the Green Communities Criteria, creating nearly 16,000 green affordable homes in more than 30 states, providing significant health, economic and environmental benefits to low-income families and communities across the country.
Enterprise Green Communities is a partnership of Enterprise, a premier national affordable housing provider, and NRDC, a leading national environmental group, the American Institute of Architects, the National Center for Healthy Housing, the American Planning Association, Southface Energy Institute, Global Green USA, and top corporate, financial and philanthropic organizations. Ohio funders include the George Gund Foundation and National City, a PNC company.
How to Apply
Applications for project certification and grant funding by Ohio Green Communities for tax credit projects will be available starting on February 17, 2010. Applicants should apply through the Enterprise Green Communities online certification process. Applicants must complete “Step 1” of the Enterprise Green Communities certification process to be considered under the 2010 Ohio Green Communities initiative.
The deadline to apply is March 19. Certification letters will be issued by May 31. Funding awards are expected to be announced on July 2, 2010.
Contact
For questions about the application process:
Sarah Torsell
Program Analyst
Enterprise Community Partners – Ohio
50 W. Broad Street, Suite 3050
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614.228.8059
Email Sarah
For technical questions on the Green Communities criteria:
Emily Mitchell
Program Director
Green Communities Enterprise
10227 Wincopin Circle
Columbia, MD 21044
410.772.2771
Email Emily
Partnering Organizations
 |
Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH) is an independent, nonprofit corporation originally created by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency in 1989. The mission of Ohio Capital Corporation for housing is to cause the construction, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable housing in Ohio. Through its affiliates, OCCH has raised over $800 million of equity and invested in 300 projects, which have produced more than 15,000 affordable homes in 70 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
 |
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency is a state agency that offers affordable housing opportunities for Ohioans from rental living to homeownership. Created in 1983, OHFA has issued over $5 billion in bonds for first-time homebuyer mortgages and has funded through tax credits and loans over 1,300 affordable rental housing communities.
Enterprise is a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities. For 25 years, Enterprise has pioneered neighborhood solutions through public-private partnerships with financial institutions, governments, community organizations and others that share our vision. Enterprise has raised and invested $8 billion in equity, grants and loans and is currently investing in communities at a rate of $1 billion a year. Visit www.enterprisecommunity.org and www.enterprisecommunity.com to learn more about Enterprise’s efforts to build communities and opportunity, and to meet some of the half a million people we have helped.
