Residential Economic Development District Grants Program

The Residential Economic Development District Grants Program is administered by the Ohio Department of Development to support the creation and expansion of workforce housing in proximity to major economic development projects across the state. The program is designed to address housing shortages that may arise from large-scale economic investments and job creation initiatives by ensuring that communities have sufficient residential capacity to support workforce needs. The Department of Development retains full discretion over award decisions and may consider geographic distribution across the state when allocating funds. The primary objective of the program is to incentivize local governments to adopt and implement pro-housing development strategies while facilitating the development of major workforce housing projects. Eligible projects must be located within a 20-mile radius of a qualifying major economic development project, which is defined as either generating at least 700 permanent jobs or involving at least 700 million dollars in private investment. Workforce housing projects must include a minimum of 100 residential units intended for independent living. The program emphasizes policy changes and infrastructure investments that accelerate housing production and reduce regulatory barriers. Funding is available for a range of eligible uses, including administrative costs capped at 10 percent of the total request, capital support for housing development, site preparation activities, and infrastructure improvements such as roads, water, and sewer systems. Funds may also be used to address increased public service demands associated with population growth. However, costs associated with application preparation and any expenses incurred outside the grant agreement period are explicitly ineligible. The program requires that awarded funds be expended within the defined grant period, which for the current cycle runs from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. Eligible applicants include counties, townships, and municipal corporations located wholly or partially within a qualifying district. Applicants may apply independently or in partnership with developers, regional planning entities, port authorities, or other local governments. Applicants must demonstrate that they have either implemented or have imminent plans to implement pro-housing policies and approve a qualifying workforce housing project. Imminent plans require formal approval and must be enacted within 90 days of application submission, supported by appropriate documentation such as resolutions or official actions. The application process is structured as a rolling series of 30-day review cycles beginning with an initial submission window from May 15 through June 15, 2026. Applications submitted within each cycle are reviewed, scored, and ranked based on defined evaluation criteria, including housing density, reduced lot sizes and setbacks, fee reductions, infrastructure investments, and the adoption of pro-housing policies. Applications cannot be modified once submitted, and unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent cycles if funding remains available. Submission requires access to the Department’s Salesforce portal and the provision of key documentation including FEIN, project costs, and certifications of authority. Awardees must comply with reporting and reimbursement requirements throughout the grant period. Reimbursements are processed monthly upon submission of appropriate documentation such as invoices and contracts, and only after verification of an Ohio Supplier ID. Grantees are required to submit quarterly progress reports within 15 days of each quarter’s end, as well as a final performance report within 60 days of project completion. Failure to comply with grant terms may result in delayed payments, suspension of funds, or reallocation of the award. The program operates on a recurring annual cycle tied to the state fiscal year, with future rounds expected to follow a similar structure. While no formal matching requirement is imposed, applicants are encouraged to demonstrate local support and financial commitment to strengthen their proposals. The program reflects a broader state strategy to align housing development with economic growth, ensuring that infrastructure and residential capacity keep pace with major investments and employment expansion across Ohio.

Prioritize demonstrating pro housing policies higher density development and infrastructure readiness align project clearly with scoring criteria