Regards amending a pre-1994 community reinvestment area

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
H. B. No. 456

2025-2026

Representative Callender

To
amend section 3735.661 of the Revised Code
to
expand the ability of certain municipalities to amend a pre-1994
community reinvestment area.

BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section
1.
That
section 3735.661 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec.
3735.661.
(A)
For the purpose of determining the "first two amendments"
referenced in division (B) of Section 3 of Am. Sub. S.B. 19 of the
120th general assembly

or the "first four amendments" referenced in division (C)
of this section
,
an amendment means any modification to an ordinance or resolution
adopted under section 3735.66 of the Revised Code that does any of
the following:

(1)
Expands the geographic size of a community reinvestment area;

(2)
Increases a property's or category of property's exempted percentage
of assessed valuation, notwithstanding the requirements of section
3735.66 of the Revised Code as that section existed on July 21, 1994.
Division (A)(2) of this section does not authorize a municipal
corporation or county to increase a property's or category of
property's exempted percentage of assessed valuation pursuant to that
section.

(3)
Increases the term of any tax exemption or category of tax
exemptions, except as provided in division (B)(7) of this section;

(4)
Extends the duration of a community reinvestment area;

(5)
Changes eligibility requirements for receiving tax exemptions.

(B)
For the purpose of determining the "first two amendments"
in division (B) of Section 3 of Am. Sub. S.B. 19 of the 120th general
assembly

or the "first four amendments" referenced in division (C)
of this section
,
an amendment does not include any modification to an ordinance or
resolution adopted under section 3735.66 of the Revised Code that
does any of the following:

(1)
Restricts the availability of tax exemptions, including any of the
following:

(a)
Removes area from or decreases the geographic size of a community
reinvestment area;

(b)
Decreases a property's or category of property's exempted percentage
of assessed valuation, notwithstanding the requirements of section
3735.66 of the Revised Code as that section existed on July 21, 1994.
Division (B)(1)(b) of this section does not authorize a municipal
corporation or county to decrease a property's or category of
property's exempted percentage of assessed valuation pursuant to that
section.

(c)
Decreases the term of any tax exemption or category of exemption;

(d)
Shortens the period of time after which the granting of tax
exemptions may be terminated.

(2)
Requires property owners or developers to enter into an agreement to
provide a number of affordable housing units as a condition of
granting, continuing, or revoking an exemption, and authorizing
municipal or county officials to implement such conditions and
agreements;

(3)
Recognizes or confirms the continuing existence of a community
reinvestment area, including by providing a date after which the area
may be terminated;

(4)
Recognizes or confirms a previously granted tax exemption;

(5)
Clarifies ambiguities or corrects defects in previously enacted
ordinances or resolutions;

(6)
Makes modifications that are procedural or administrative, including
changing the designation of a housing officer, the process for
approving or appealing a tax exemption, or the amount of any
application fee, or modifying a community reinvestment area housing
council created under section 3735.69 of the Revised Code or a tax
incentive review council under section 5709.85 of the Revised Code;

(7)
Increases the term of tax exemption for remodeling to not more than
that authorized by H.B. 463 of the 131st general assembly for an
exemption application that has been filed but not yet granted, or has
been filed, on or after April 6, 2017, or that is filed on or after
any other later date, provided the maximum term of the exemption for
such remodeling before the ordinance's or resolution's modification
was the maximum term allowed under division (D)(1) or (2) of section
3735.67 of the Revised Code as that section existed before its
amendment by H.B. 463 of the 131st general assembly.

(C)
Notwithstanding Section 3 of Am. Sub. S.B. 19 of the 120th general
assembly, the amendment or enactment by that act of sections 3735.67,
3735.671, 3735.672, 3735.673, and 3735.68 of the Revised Code do not
apply, and those sections as in effect prior to those amendments and
enactments do apply, to the first four amendments to an ordinance or
resolution adopted by a municipal corporation under section 3735.66
of the Revised Code prior to the effective date of those amendments
and enactments, provided that, at the time of the amendment to the
ordinance or resolution, the municipal corporation is an impacted
city as defined in section 1728.01 of the Revised Code.

Section
2.
That
existing section 3735.661 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.