The Hamilton County Landbank uses several programs and tools to return vacant properties to productive use, stabilize neighborhoods, and support redevelopment. These include a focus neighborhood strategy that provides demolition grants and housing redevelopment plans for priority areas, historic stabilization projects, and partnerships with community groups. Challenges to redevelopment in Cincinnati neighborhoods include issues like topography, density, and affordability. The Landbank works closely with the Port Authority and aims to promote economic inclusion in its projects.

1. Tools and Programs
of the Hamilton County Landbank
First Suburbs Consortium
Paula Boggs Muething
Vice President, Community Revitalization and General Counsel

2. Our Mission
Return vacant properties to productive use
through the tools statutorily provided to the HCLRC
and by leveraging the resources of the HCLRC’s
executive arm, the Port Authority.

3. Purposes of the Landbank
• Economic development
• Blight abatement/nuisance remediation
• Neighborhood stabilization/revitalization
• Return vacant property to productive use
• Strategic parcel assembly
• Historic preservation

4. Landbank Programs
• Focus Neighborhood Strategy
• Demolition Grant Management
• Historic Stabilization
• REACH - Rehab Across Cincinnati and Hamilton County

5. Acquire Property Through
• Tax foreclosure process
o Avoid public auction by requesting
alternative right of redemption
o Board of revisions
• Deed in lieu of foreclosure
• Forfeited land
• Donation/gift
• Purchase

6. How We Work Together
Significant tools of the Landbank are
combined with the expertise and
relationships of the
Port Authority
to establish partnerships with
community development
organizations and
neighborhood-based groups,
focusing on redevelopment work in
key corridors across the county
including neighborhood business
districts and residential areas.

7. Regional Challenges to Redevelopment
Cincinnati neighborhoods:
• Topography
• Density
• Masonry
• Remediation
• Neighborhoods
• Affordability

8. Focus Neighborhood Strategy
Factors in selection of focus communities:
• # of foreclosures
• # of code violations/condemnations
• Level of public and private investment
• Educational and historic resources
• Community engagement
• Capacity of a lead community-based
organization

9. Focus Neighborhood Strategy

10. Focus Neighborhood Strategy
Short-Term Focus Long-Term Focus
Walnut Hills Price Hill
Evanston Northside
Madisonville South Cumminsville
Avondale College Hill
Norwood North College Hill
St. Bernard Mount Healthy
Fairfax Colerain Township

11. Housing Strategy Reports
Housing and revitalization strategies for each focus area
• Engage with CDC/CIC
• Identify small, defined priority area for residential
and commercial redevelopment
• Use phased approach
• Work with lenders to develop loan products that
work across markets

12. Focus Neighborhood Strategy
St. Bernard
Right: Pedestrian bridge sketch
Below: Along Vine St: after demolition, greening

13. Demolition Grant Management
Moving Ohio Forward
• Awarded over $11 million across City and County
• 712 total properties demolished
Neighborhood Initiative Program
• $5 million available for Hamilton County
• Three target areas

15. Unique Demolitions
Wyoming: (photos)
Controlled burn training exercise
prior to MOF demolition.
Elmwood Place:
Used vacant home for SWAT team
exercises.

16. Demolition Grant Management
Moving Ohio Forward
• Awarded over $11 million across City and County
• 712 total properties demolished
Neighborhood Initiative Program
• $5 million available for Hamilton County
• Three target areas

17. Neighborhood Initiative Program

18. Avondale
Bond Hill
Elmwood Place
Evanston
Mt. Auburn
Norwood
Paddock Hills
Roselawn
St. Bernard
Walnut Hills
Camp Washington
College Hill
East Price Hill
Lower Price Hill
North Fairmount
Northside
South Cumminsville
South Fairmount
West Price Hill
Colerain Township
Lincoln Heights
Lockland
Mt. Healthy
North College Hill
Springfield
Township
Wyoming

19. Historic Stabilization
Regal Theater, 1913
Regal Theater
1201 Linn St. West End

20. Historic Stabilization
Moerlein residence, 1870

21. Historic Stabilization
Farmer’s Hotel, 1859

22. Historic Stabilization
Mt. Healthy Theater
Mt. Healthy Theater, 1970

23. Other Initiatives & Support
• Lot-to-Yard
• Parcel Assembly
• Technical
Resources
• Code enforcement,
Planning,
Consultants

24. Engaging the Community: LawnLife, Building Value

25. Economic Inclusion
Project Type % MBE % WBE % SBE Comments
HCLRC (Landbank) 26% 24% 54% Includes demolition of
housing and stabilization
Aspirational Goal 25% 7% 30%

26. Thank you
Paula Boggs Muething
Vice President of Community Revitalization and General Counsel
www.cincinnatiport.org
www.hamiltoncountylandbank.org
info@cincinnatiport.org
@PGCDA @HCLandbank
513.621.3000