Local Housing Solutions
To enhance local affordability. To foster inclusive communities.

Housing Policy Case Studies

Please click on any of the photos below to read one of the profiles.
Lead paint is shown

Designing a local remediation ordinance: Lesson from Cleveland, OH; Syracuse, NY; and Toledo, OH

This brief provides a practical guide to local “lead laws” for cities interested in preventing exposure to lead-based paint hazards. It begins with a primer on these ordinances: what they are and how they work. We then provide a brief scan of local lead laws around the country. The third section draws on interviews with practitioners working to implement three recently approved lead laws in Cleveland, OH; Syracuse, NY; and Toledo, OH; to identify key decision points. Finally, we provide individual case summaries on the three sites.
Photo of notice of eviction is shown to illustrate eviction prevention strategies

Eviction prevention strategies from Grand Rapids, MI; Boulder, CO; and Syracuse, NY

Averaging data from 2000 through 2018, researchers estimated that approximately 2.7 million U.S. households are threatened with eviction each year. Eviction filings have also increased nationwide since protections related to the COVID-19 pandemic ended. This case study series explores three types of eviction prevention programs created to help improve conditions.
Project leaders, local politicians, and members of the West End Community participate in a formal groundbreaking ceremony on a new stadium for the new Major League Soccer expansion team FC Cincinnati, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018, in the West End neighborhood of Cincinnati.

Lessons learned from a Community Benefits Agreement in Cincinnati, Ohio

In 2017, FC Cincinnati proposed building a Major League Soccer stadium in the West End, a historically Black, low-income neighborhood. To address concerns of displacement and inequity, the club negotiated a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with the West End Community Council and the Port of Greater Cincinnati. This CBA aimed to support local youth, affordable housing, and community development. While it brought tangible benefits like financial support for neighborhood programs, the rushed negotiations and lack of enforcement mechanisms hindered its effectiveness in preventing resident displacement. Lessons from this CBA highlight the importance of community involvement, transparency, and strong legal frameworks in CBA processes.

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