Local –
ARTICLE: Columbus Leads Nation in Multi-Family Home Permitting, Report Shows
- Columbus leads the nation in multifamily home permitting, according to a recent report from realtor.com.
- The June 2026 Rental Report by realtor.com, Columbus hit a new permit rate of 4.3 new multifamily units per 1,000 residents last year, the highest level since 2019. This is, in part, due to zoning reforms.
- The ZoneIn initiative is projected to create the opportunity for more than 80,000 additional residential units over the next 10 years.
- During the National Association of REALTORS® GAD Institute held in Columbus, Ohio in July, Columbus REALTORS® Government Affairs Director Vincent Coleman sat down with Tony Celebreeze, Deputy Director of Building and Zoning Services during a session on Zoning and Land-Use, and attendees learned about the ZoneIn initiative and how to take lessons learned back to their local and state advocacy!
State –
Housing Ohio Featured at National GAD Institute in Columbus
- Government affairs professionals from REALTOR® associations across the country recently gathered in Columbus for the NAR Government Affairs Directors (GAD) Institute, the association’s premier annual conference for advocacy professionals.
- Ohio REALTORS® Assistant Vice President of External Engagement Veronica Cardello served as a featured panelist and moderator for "Blueprint for Housing: How Communities Are Accelerating Housing Development."
- The session highlighted Housing Ohio | Tools for Development, a joint initiative created by Ohio REALTORS® and the Greater Ohio Policy Center that provides communities with practical resources to reduce barriers to housing development and expand housing opportunities.
National –
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: State and Local Government Impact
- The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which became law on July 11, 2026, opens significant opportunities for states and localities, from competitive grant funding to major upgrades in state-administered housing programs, alongside a set of new direct responsibilities.
- Housing Supply Frameworks — HUD will develop model state and local frameworks covering parking, minimum lot sizes, accessory dwellings, by-right small multifamily housing, building codes, appeals, and environmental review.
- Institutional Investor Enforcement Landscape — Effective January 7, 2027, the law bars covered large institutional investors—generally entities controlling at least 350 single-family homes.
- Whole-Home Repairs — States and localities may administer grants to lower-income homeowners and loans, including forgivable loans, to qualifying landlords for accessibility, habitability, resilience, and efficiency repairs
- Read more on policies by clicking the link in the title.
