The REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati (RAGC) was thrilled to welcome Cincinnati Vice Mayor and REALTOR® Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney for a candid and collaborative Meet & Greet with our members. The energy in the room was electric as REALTORS shared real-world challenges, brainstormed practical solutions, and explored opportunities for partnership with the Vice Mayor and her team.
Clear Themes Emerged: Cut the Red Tape, Streamline the Process
The conversation quickly turned to the City’s American Dream Down payment Initiative (ADDI) and the programs inspection process and the barriers it poses for both buyers and sellers. David Welch highlighted that additional inspections—especially when acquiring more than one unit—delay approvals unnecessarily. Patty Hoff, a seasoned lender, pointed out that while other organizations operate with one set of underwriting requirements, the City of Cincinnati’s system demands two—stretching closing times to 50–55 days. “It’s not about education anymore,” she said. “It’s the process that’s broken.”
Ray Cook emphasized the need for greater efficiencies across the board, while Sandy Butler and other members called out specific redundancies in the system that were leaving available City resources for new homebuyers untapped. One member noted his clients experience in which the referred City inspector’s voicemail wasn’t even being monitored. Across the board, members agreed: We need one inspection, one process, and one clear path to homeownership.
Solutions in Motion: Next Steps and Upcoming Meetings
Inspired by the momentum, the the Vice Mayor proposed a follow-up meeting with Markiea Carter. the City’s Director. Department of Community and Economic Development to dig deeper into systemic fixes. One promising initiative: a revived Ambassador Program to bridge communication between REALTORS® and city officials.
We also discussed elevating Ohio REALTORS® Pattern Book, Ohio Housing: Tools for Development—a resource for developers and community members to guide neighborhood-compatible infill housing. RAGC’s Advocacy Committee will explore ways to help the City utilized this resource so that it directly meets the needs of neighborhood infill challenges. One opportunity would be to present the pattern book to City Council later this summer.
Marketing Matters: Changing the Narrative Around Housing
Several commercial REALTORS® mentioned that language matters when talking about housing. Terms like “workforce” and “attainable” may resonate more effectively than “affordable” when advocating for housing solutions targeting Cincinnatians earning 30–60% AMI—who increasingly find homeownership out of reach.
Equity, Access, and Connected Communities
Vice Mayor Kearney underscored the need for housing strategies that support the recently passed connected communities, especially for the 20% of Cincinnatians who don’t drive, but stressed that there are still some concerns about the new policy and is committed to addressing each concern. Density, walkability, and transit access remain key themes in the city’s development conversations. REALTORS® also voiced concerns about ensuring neighborhood character is preserved while still making room for growth.
Final Thoughts and Follow-Up
From crime statistics and the city’s looking at emulating the program, Advance Peace, which is used in other metropolitian cities across the country, to building a more efficient permitting process and smarter housing marketing, this Meet & Greet was a powerful reminder of how engaged REALTORS® are in the future of our city.
2025 Advocacy Chair, Heather Kopf, said,” We’ll be sending Vice Mayor Lemon Kearney our Red Tape Survey results and following up on the actionable ideas that emerged. We are grateful for all of the REALTORS® that spoke up today—you’re helping shape housing policy and solutions in real time.”
Stay tuned for updates on the Pattern Book initiative, our meeting with Markiea Carter, and how YOU can get involved in leading change.
To get involved – please email the RAGC Government Affairs Director, Mary Huttlinger.