Senate committee hears bill to let counties create local housing trust funds from conveyance fees

The Senate Local Government Committee heard sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 208, which would allow counties across Ohio to create permissive local housing trust funds financed by county conveyance fees.

Senator Brenner, the bill’s sponsor, told the committee the bill is “a reintroduction of senate bill 300 from the last general assembly” and would “establish a permissive . . . local county housing trust funds across the state of Ohio.” He said the trusts would fund low‑income, disability, transition housing and first‑time homebuyer assistance.

Senator Reynolds, co‑sponsor, described the proposal as a “fiscally responsible locally driven approach” that “empowers local communities to solve their own problems” and said the bill would not create new taxes but would allow counties to redirect part of existing conveyance fee revenue for housing.

The sponsors cited stagnant statewide revenues for the Ohio Housing Trust Fund — which they said have been between $45 million and $52 million annually — as part of the rationale for enabling county funds. Brenner described conveyance fees as a possible source, noting a statutory maximum of $4 per $1,000 in value and using Delaware County as an example of how funds might be shifted from statewide recording fees to a local trust.

Committee members asked about the calculations used in the Delaware County example; Brenner acknowledged a typo in an initial figure and said he would recheck the county‑level calculations. He also said he had contacted other counties informally but had not done a comprehensive, statewide revenue analysis.

No formal action was taken; the committee concluded the first hearing after questioning. The sponsors said they stand ready to provide additional data and to answer follow‑up questions about county‑level revenue estimates and implementation mechanics.