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Ohio Housing Finance Agency Defends Tax Credit Program After New Study

photo of Kelan Craig
OHIO HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

A new study finds that most of the housing funded by Ohio’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit program is in poor and racially segregated areas.

The study, from the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland and the Housing Research and Advocacy Center looked at six metropolitan areas in Ohio, including Cleveland and Akron.

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency, who runs the tax-credit program, says the report leaves out important details.

Kelan Craig, is the director of development for the agency and says its harder to build in the suburbs.

"Land and building acquisition costs may be higher, zoning restrictions may make multi-family housing more difficult or more expensive to build, and in some locations, elected officials may be frankly openly hostile to the prospect of affordable housing.”

Craig says steps are being taken to incentivize housing eligible for the tax credits in a variety of neighborhoods.