For over two years, the REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati (RAGC) had been working with the City of Cincinnati on a major initiative to strengthen housing opportunities and invigorate neighborhoods, both of which had been downtrodden by decades of discriminatory and outdated zoning. ‘Connected Communities’ was devised as a bold and thoughtful vision to increase density and streamline the development process; RAGC supported the project with Smart Growth and Housing Opportunity grants from the REALTOR® Party, as well as their own considerable expertise. In advance of the City Council’s final vote on the program, RAGC tapped into yet another REALTOR® Party resource: a Land Use Initiative (LUI) review that provided the expert analysis needed for a last burst of advocacy.
Capitalizing on the best practices of other U.S. cities that have undertaken major housing policy reform, Connected Communities encourages ‘Missing Middle’ housing, reduces regulatory barriers, addresses parking, increases density and walkability, and boosts small businesses. All of its goals involved changes to existing zoning, so the Alliance submitted the final draft to Robinson & Cole, LLC, the law firm retained by the REALTOR® Party to perform the LUI reviews of proposed or existing zoning ordinances. Government Affairs Director Mary Huttlinger credits the resulting analysis with playing a key role in advancing RAGC’s position on the comprehensive zoning reform and Connected Communities initiative. “The insights it provided were instrumental in crafting a position paper, drafting a letter to City Council, developing talking points for our members, and delivering impactful speeches and public comments on seven separate occasions.”
A former Congressional lobbyist, Huttlinger knows her way around the crafting of legislation. “We knew we supported this initiative, from the creation of affordable housing to reversing the harmful impacts of discriminatory zoning to reducing or eliminating parking minimums, but running it through the LUI program confirmed what we understood and clarified some additional benefits. I also rely on it to make sure there were no surprises or unintended meanings in the language, so we could have full confidence presenting and endorsing it.”
The LUI analysis was more than just reassurance for the initiative’s advocates. “LUI is a goldmine,” states Huttlinger, who has used the service more than a few times in her three years as a Government Affairs Director. “It’s the secret sauce in making sure you are reading between the lines. I always ask them to include citations of data sources, which is a useful starting point for framing all our arguments.”
The final vote of the City Council was 6-3, resulting in the adoption of the comprehensive zoning reform and the Connected Communities initiative. Huttlinger reports that a certain amount of NIMBYism got in the way of a resounding win, but that, “Our members who engage in the Government Affairs arena recognize the long-term vision and the thoughtful, deliberate process that has succeeded this far, setting us up for strategic growth. This initiative will bring about a Cincinnati with vibrant, prosperous neighborhoods for all.”
For those who may be new to the REALTOR Party’s LUI program, she says, “It is absolutely user-friendly. It’s easy to access, and makes it easy to engage with confidence on land-use issues up for consideration. What I really appreciate is that the law firm follows-up your request with a phone call to flesh out what you’re really looking for – because you don’t always know what you don’t know….”
To learn more about how the REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati is working to strengthen housing opportunities and neighborhoods throughout the city, contact Government Affairs Director Mary Huttlinger at mhuttlinger@cincyrealtoralliance.com or 513.842.3021.
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