In 2021, the Finance Authority joined a national cohort of development agencies organized by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The initiative’s overarching goal is to drive community development through improved collaboration between development finance agencies (such as ours) and philanthropic and mission-based organizations.
The Institute recently published its July 2024 President’s Message, “Building Where it Matters,” which is supported by a related source of data, “Development Opportunities on America’s Public Lands,” produced by the Center for Geospatial Solutions. Several suggestions in the article are already in play in our community, such as the redevelopment of vacant mall sites and collaboration with religious institutions. A great example of this is a near east side project helmed by Otto Beatty III, Kelley Cos, and the Ohio Baptist General Convention.
The article focuses on the advantages of using government-owned real estate to expand affordable housing. “The better our understanding of land ownership across communities,” writes Institute President George McCarthy, “the better we can identify and implement needed interventions. CGS provides essential data for identifying new opportunities for affordable housing development, but more is needed to turn potential into reality.”
According to the Center there are more than 10,000 acres of buildable, government-owned land available in Ohio, one of the higher concentrations in the country. This interactive map indicates “there are approximately 1,151 acres of buildable, government-owned land in urban, transit-accessible communities in Franklin County. This is roughly 0.423% of the total buildable area found across the United States through this study.”
Intrigued? We are. If you have interest in discussing local opportunities, we welcome conversations about potential collaboration. Ohio Port Authorities have broad-reaching powers and different ways to deliver benefits to desired community projects. Let’s think creatively together.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts!