CLEVELAND, OH - At a time when more and more low-income Ohioans are in need of housing they can afford, the Ohio Green Communities initiative is working across the state to help ensure that as many apartments as possible meet an energy efficient green standard. With the support of PNC, three community development entities - Enterprise Community Partners (Enterprise), Ohio Housing Financing Agency and the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing – have for the second year announced that more than half of all of their combined affordable housing developments, 750 homes in 20 communities across the state, will adhere to the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria, the first national framework for green affordable housing.
"Since we started Ohio Green Communities five years ago, Enterprise and our partners have helped to finance and offer technical assistance on more than 2,000 healthy, efficient and environmentally responsive homes," said Mark McDermott, Ohio impact market leader, Enterprise Community Partners. "Our goal is to help developers green 100 percent of new affordable rental housing in Ohio over the next few years. In Cleveland, Enterprise Green Communities Criteria is already required on city-funded housing. We look forward to bringing this standard all of Ohio. "
The Ohio Green Communities initiative provides funds and expertise to enable developers to build and rehabilitate homes that are healthier, more energy-efficient and better for the environment – while increasing affordability for tenants. The initiative also works with the state and local governments to ensure their housing and economic development policies are smart and sustainable.
"We committed to using the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria when building our properties because it's easy, economical and affords long standing energy and utility savings that reduce our operational expenses," said Aaron Pechota, vice president of development, NRP Group. "With the increase in energy savings, we've been able to reinvest that money to help our residents in new ways."
To further support the green building efforts in Ohio, the partners provide predevelopment grants for properties intended to adhere to sustainable building technologies. This year, the Ohio Green Communities awardees include Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio in Cleveland for the New Circle Vistas; HomeStart in Dayton for the Dayton View Commons II; Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority in Akron for the Hunter House Apartments; Cincinnati Union Bethel in Cincinnati for the Anna Louise Inn; and to the NRP Group in Columbus for Weinland Park Homes.
The $15,000 grants were made possible by the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, PNC and Enterprise.
Enterprise is a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities. For more than 25 years, Enterprise has introduced neighborhood solutions through public- private partnerships with financial institutions, governments, community organizations and others that share our vision. Enterprise has raised and invested more than $10 billion in equity, grants and loans to help build or preserve more than 270,000 affordable rental and for-sale homes to create vital communities.
Source: Enterprise Community Partners