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Homebase reports Quickstrike acquisitions closed; rolling application changes draw immediate interest
Summary
Homebase Cincinnati updated the committee on the Quickstrike neighborhood acquisition program: five 2024 projects closed, the $1 million appropriation has leveraged substantial private development, and recent rule changes made the program rolling and removed the previous per-project cap.
A Homebase Cincinnati representative briefed the Equitable Growth and Housing Committee on the Quickstrike program’s results and recent program rule changes, saying the 2024 appropriation established under council has already produced closed acquisitions and leveraged private development.
"The Quick Scribe Fund, was $1,000,000 appropriated by council," the Homebase presenter said, describing the original fund and eligibility criteria. Homebase said nine neighborhood applications arrived in 2024; five projects were funded, the properties closed and the grantees’ projects are expected to lay the foundation for about 425 affordable or mixed-income housing units and three commercial spaces.
Homebase reported the $1 million appropriation has been leveraged into roughly $100 million in development capital, and it summarized changes that followed council motion 2024-057. Under the revised parameters: there is no per-project funding cap; applications are now accepted on a rolling basis; projects already using state funds are down-scored in evaluation; neighborhoods that have not used other acquisition funds are up-scored; and funds may be used to purchase a right of first refusal.
Homebase also described a tiered scoring system: applications scoring 150–200 points go directly to Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) staff for review; proposals scoring in a middle band are sent to a short committee review for feedback; lower-scoring proposals are returned to applicants for development assistance. As of Feb. 17, Homebase said it had received four applications totaling $1,053,000 under the new rules and had a program administration fee such that, if all four projects were awarded as requested, the program would be about $100,000 short of funding.
Committee members praised the results and pushed Homebase to continue accepting applications. Vice Chair Victoria Parks noted that two of the four January submissions exceeded the prior $250,000 limit, and Councilman Walsh urged council to consider ongoing support as applications arrive.
Homebase said projects will continue to be reviewed under neighborhood plans and that Homebase will assist lower-capacity groups to make proposals competitive.
