Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 174.02 – Low- and moderate-income housing trust fund

(A) The low- and moderate-income housing trust fund is hereby created in the state treasury. The fund consists of all appropriations made to the fund, housing trust fund fees collected by county recorders pursuant to section 317.36 of the Revised Code and deposited into the fund pursuant to section 319.63 of the Revised Code, money transferred from the housing trust reserve fund pursuant to section 174.09 of the Revised Code, and all grants, gifts, loan repayments, and contributions of money made from any source to the development services agency for deposit in the fund. All investment earnings of the fund shall be credited to the fund. The director of development services shall allocate a portion of the money in the fund to an account of the Ohio housing finance agency. The development services agency shall administer the fund. The Ohio housing finance agency shall use money allocated to it for implementing and administering its programs and duties under sections 174.03 and 174.05 of the Revised Code, and the development services agency shall use the remaining money in the fund for implementing and administering its programs and duties under sections 174.03 to 174.06 of the Revised Code. Use of all money drawn from the fund is subject to the following restrictions:
1. (1)
  1. (a) Not more than five per cent of the current year appropriation authority for the fund shall be allocated between grants to community development corporations for the community development corporation grant program and grants and loans to the Ohio community development finance fund, a private nonprofit corporation.
  2. (b) In any year in which the amount in the fund exceeds one hundred thousand dollars and at least that much is allocated for the uses described in this section, not less than one hundred thousand dollars shall be used to provide training, technical assistance, and capacity building assistance to nonprofit development organizations.
2. (2) Not more than ten per cent of any current year appropriation authority for the fund shall be used for the emergency shelter housing grants program to make grants to private, nonprofit organizations and municipal corporations, counties, and townships for emergency shelter housing for the homeless and emergency shelter facilities serving unaccompanied youth seventeen years of age and younger. The grants shall be distributed pursuant to rules the director adopts and qualify as matching funds for funds obtained pursuant to the McKinney Act, 101 Stat. 85 (1987), 42 U.S.C.A. 11371 to 11378.
3. (3) In any fiscal year in which the amount in the fund exceeds the amount awarded pursuant to division (A)(1)(b) of this section by at least two hundred fifty thousand dollars, at least two hundred fifty thousand dollars from the fund shall be provided to the department of aging for the resident services coordinator program as established in section 173.08 of the Revised Code.
4. (4) Of all current year appropriation authority for the fund, not more than five per cent shall be used for administration.
5. (5) Not less than forty-five per cent of the funds awarded during any one fiscal year shall be for grants and loans to nonprofit organizations under section 174.03 of the Revised Code.
6. (6) Not less than fifty per cent of the funds awarded during any one fiscal year, excluding the amounts awarded pursuant to divisions (A)(1), (2), and (7) of this section, shall be for grants and loans for activities that provide housing and housing assistance to families and individuals in rural areas and small cities that are not eligible to participate as a participating jurisdiction under the "HOME Investment Partnerships Act," 104 Stat. 4094 (1990), 42 U.S.C. 12701 note, 12721.
7. (7) No money in the fund shall be used to pay for any legal services other than the usual and customary legal services associated with the acquisition of housing.
8. (8) Money in the fund may be used as matching money for federal funds received by the state, counties, municipal corporations, and townships for the activities listed in section 174.03 of the Revised Code.
(B) If, after the second quarter of any year, it appears to the director of development services that the full amount of the money in the fund designated in that year for activities that provide housing and housing assistance to families and individuals in rural areas and small cities under division (A) of this section will not be used for that purpose, the director may reallocate all or a portion of that amount for other housing activities. In determining whether or how to reallocate money under this division, the director may consult with and shall receive advice from the housing trust fund advisory committee.