State Senate Passes Bill To Protect Permanent Supportive Housing

Press release from Senator Antonio and the Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus:

Feb. 26, 2021

State Senators Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Bob Hackett (R-London) today announced the Senate passage of bipartisan legislation to protect and reinforce the precedent of exempting Permanent Supportive Housing from property taxes in the State of Ohio.

Specifically, the bill will clarify and codify that Permanent Supportive Housing providers have always been exempt from real property tax and will that Ohio should continue to reduce the tax burden on this important program.

“I am pleased with the unanimous passage of this important legislation. Now more than ever, we need to keep our most vulnerable people housed in PSH,” said Antonio. “Without Senate Bill 57, all of the progress that counties across the state have made toward ending homelessness for veterans, infants and children, families, persons with mental illness, and other disability groups would be in jeopardy.”

Recent decisions by the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals have called into question the tax exemption, which legislators and advocates believe could threaten the very existence of Permanent Supportive Housing in Ohio, and strip affordable housing from Ohioans who depend on it.

"Permanent Supportive Housing is a lynchpin in Ohio's fight to end homelessness and to secure affordable housing so individuals can live stable, independent and healthy lives," said Hackett, joint sponsor of Senate Bill 57. "The bottom line is PSH has always been exempt from real property tax, and I am proud to join my colleagues to ensure that continues to be the standard moving forward."

Permanent Supportive Housing is long-term, community-based housing, which includes supportive services for homeless people with disabilities. This type of supportive housing is meant to enable the special needs population to live as independently as possible in a permanent setting. The supportive services may be provided by the organization managing the housing or coordinated with other public or private service agencies.

For more information on Senate Bill 57, click here.

This press release was produced by Senator Antonio and the Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus. The views expressed here are the author's own.