President Pro Tem Tim Reisner moved to amend the finance and personnel committee agenda to add a discussion about the potential receipt of a parcel owned by the American Red Cross to support the Welcome Home Ohio affordable-housing program.

Director Stone explained the Welcome Home Ohio program would use $2,000,000 from a state award (described in the hearing as distributed through the Athens Enhancement Fund 250) to subsidize construction of owner-occupied homes. Stone said the city’s role would be to receive title to a small Red Cross parcel south of the Hudson Building to allow a developer to assemble land and build homes; the Red Cross has agreed to a $40,000 price, which Stone said matches the auditor’s appraisal.

Stone said the city expects the developer to purchase and build on the parcels and that the developer’s costs would be reimbursed by the Welcome Home Ohio program; the city would need an ordinance in place to accept title once the sale is finalized. Council members asked whether the city would face liability after acceptance (Stone said the city could be liable as any owner of city property can be) and whether fill or other flood-plain measures would be required; Stone said flood-damage prevention requirements would be followed and that the project would use techniques such as crawl spaces or fill to meet the one-foot-above-100-year-flood-plain standard.

Councilors and public commenters urged collaboration with local partners such as Habitat for Humanity to reduce costs and noted the program aims to produce well-built owner-occupied homes sold below market price with deed restrictions to preserve affordability. No final council vote on property receipt occurred in committee; the item was presented and discussed after the agenda amendment was approved.