MANSFIELD — Richland County Land Bank board members expressed optimism Wednesday the biennial state budget proposed will include another $500 million for brownfield remediation and demolition projects.
The funds were included in the budget version approved in the Ohio House and now being discussed in the Senate, according to Land Bank manager Amy Hamrick.
Hamrick and other Land Bank officials recently attended the Ohio Land Bank Association annual conference in Dayton, where they were briefed on the prospects by Ohio Department of Development representatives.
“I think the general feeling overall is that it will stay (in the Senate version),” Hamrick said.
The ODOD’s Brownfield Remediation Fund and the Building Demolition Site Revitalization Program invested nearly $500 million in the 2021-2023 budget throughout the state to help reduce blight and encourage redevelopment.
Two of the biggest local projects funded by the programs include the former Westinghouse site in Mansfield and the former Ocie Hill Community center, both projects handled through the Land Bank.
Hamrick said the Senate is scheduled to have public finance committee hearings on the budget in the middle of May, with a vote planned in mid June. A budget must be signed by Gov. Mike DeWine by June 30.
Hamrick said it appears the money would be split in half over each of the next two years.
If it works as did during this budget cycle, each of the state’s 88 counties would receive $1 million and could then apply for additional funding for specific projects.
The state approved, for example, an additional $3 million for the Westinghouse project, which is working to eliminate a three-decade eyesore on the city’s easy side.
Hamrick said it appears likely ODOD would begin accepting applications this fall.
“As long as there’s not a lot of major changes and they don’t switch up the program, they have got things running pretty good,” she said.
Local projects not funded this cycle, including one at the corner of Broadway and Main streets in Shelby and the former Denver Roof building in Mansfield, could be re-applied for, according to Hamrick.
“So we’re going to update our numbers, make sure our numbers and everything is good — double-check everything and get everything ready to re-apply.
“Of course the Broadway and Main was one we had applied for (and) did not get and we wanted to apply for the Denver Roof (project). I think those have to be our top two priorities and look at other projects,” Hamrick said.
Hamrick said ODOD also discussed other potential funding streams Land Banks have not used in the past, which may become available.
