Ohio Workforce Housing and Trades Access Act

The State of Ohio shall establish a Workforce Housing and Trades Access Program within the Ohio Department of Development to provide grants, low-interest loans, and targeted tax incentives for the construction or rehabilitation of owner-occupied and rental housing affordable to middle-income working households in counties containing major industrial corridors, advanced manufacturing sites, or state-recognized apprenticeship hubs; eligibility shall be conditioned on use of project labor agreements or prevailing-wage union labor where applicable, local hiring and registered apprenticeship participation targets, proximity to major employment centers and transit where feasible, and long-term affordability requirements, with priority given to developments that reserve units for teachers, first responders, skilled trades workers, and employees in manufacturing and supply-chain sectors.