Ohio’s Budget Breakdown: Key Housing Provisions to Watch
By Anastasia Kotkovskaya, Ohio REALTORS Manager, Advocacy and Research
In early February, Governor Mike DeWine unveiled the details of the two-year state operating budget. This legislation, House Bill (HB) 96, will fund state government operations through 2027 and is the most significant and far-reaching bill that lawmakers will consider this session.
HB 96 is over 4,000 pages long and contains hundreds of policy changes, appropriating $108 billion in Fiscal Year 2026 and $110 billion in Fiscal Year 2027. The Ohio House of Representatives has begun holding hearings on the bill and is expected to report it out of the chamber in mid-April. The Senate will then hold its own hearings and pass the measure in June. The bill must be passed by both chambers and signed by the Governor by June 30, 2025.
Ohio REALTORS®' legislative team is reviewing the budget provisions and working with the Legislative Steering Committee to determine their impact on the housing industry in Ohio. Below are the budget’s key provisions that we are tracking:
Historic Owner-Occupant Tax Credit: The bill allows for a new, refundable income tax credit for the rehab of historic owner-occupied homes. The bill also increases the annual cap on the Ohio Historic Building Preservation Tax Credit from $60 million to $120 million per fiscal year.
Ohio Housing Investment Opportunity Program: The bill creates a new $100 million investment to promote affordable housing in rural and border counties within the Department of Development.
Lead Abatement Tax Credit: The bill increases the maximum amount of the tax credit issued by the Ohio Department of Health for lead abatement from $10,000 to $50,000.
Welcome Home Ohio Program: The bill continues funding for the Welcome Home Ohio Program, which was created in the last budget and has provided resources to communities to construct and rehabilitate single-family homes.
Brownfield Remediation Program: The bill proposes significant reductions to Ohio's Brownfield Remediation Program, which has successfully assisted communities throughout the State to rehabilitate blighted properties and put them to productive use.
Board of Building Standards (BBS): The bill allows the BBS to create a grant program that assists local building departments in recruiting, training, and retaining qualified personnel. It also enables BBS to develop rules that would allow local building departments to use third-party plan examiners and building inspectors – with guardrails that the BBS would set.
As HB 96 moves through the legislative process, Ohio REALTORS® will continue to monitor these key provisions and advocate for policies that support the real estate industry and housing market. We are committed to working with lawmakers to ensure that the final budget benefits property owners, real estate professionals, and communities across Ohio. Stay tuned for updates.
Read more about this legislation: