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Affordable Housing in Ottawa, Toledo: LIHTC's Impact on Neighborhood Diversity
CATEGORY
Affordable Housing
DATA
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
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Affordable Housing
LIHTC Projects
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Population
Ottawa, a neighborhood in Toledo, Ohio, has implemented affordable housing initiatives through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The neighborhood currently contains 180 LIHTC-funded affordable housing units, all designated as low-income units. Based on the 2022 population of 19,370 and the national average household size of 2.61, the estimated number of housing units in Ottawa is 7,421. LIHTC-funded affordable housing comprises approximately 2.4% of the estimated housing inventory in the neighborhood.
The LIHTC program has made substantial investments in Ottawa, with project tax credits totaling $660,678. This equates to an average federal funding of $3,670 per affordable unit. The neighborhood's LIHTC-funded housing inventory spans from 1989 to 2008, with the first project, Montgomery Rental, completed in 1989, and the most recent, Palmer Gardens, finished in 2008.
The 2000s experienced the highest LIHTC activity in Ottawa, with four projects completed during this period. Notable projects include Renascence Ottawa Area Residences (2001), which targets single parents, West Central Homes (2006), and Palmer Gardens (2008). The housing mix in Ottawa's LIHTC-funded projects is diverse, featuring 67 two-bedroom units, 16 three-bedroom units, 67 four-bedroom units, and one one-bedroom unit. This distribution indicates a focus on accommodating families of various sizes within the affordable housing stock.
The Renascence Ottawa Area Residences project, which targets single parents, is noteworthy. This project likely provides support services and amenities tailored to the needs of single-parent families, such as on-site childcare or after-school programs.
Ottawa's population has remained relatively stable over the past decade, with slight fluctuations. The median income has shown an upward trend, increasing from $40,482 in 2013 to $47,533 in 2022. This rise in median income may partially explain the absence of new LIHTC projects in the neighborhood since 2008.
The racial composition of Ottawa has remained consistent over the last decade. The neighborhood is diverse, with approximately 49% White, 38% Black, 6% Hispanic, and 5% identifying as two or more races as of 2022. This stable racial distribution suggests that the existing LIHTC projects continue to serve a diverse community.
Ottawa's LIHTC-funded affordable housing inventory, while representing a small portion of the neighborhood's estimated housing stock, provides 180 low-income units. The investment of over $660,000 in tax credits has supported the development of diverse housing options, including many family-sized units. The neighborhood's demographic stability, coupled with a gradual increase in median income, may have influenced the lack of new LIHTC developments in recent years. However, the existing projects continue to play a role in maintaining housing affordability and diversity in Ottawa.
