Roadmap for Increasing Black Homeownership

& STATUS UPDATES

HOME and Partners Publish the Roadmap for Increasing Black Homeownership to Address the 40% Gap in Black Homeownership in Cincinnati and Hamilton County

HOME and a group of more than 30 partners published the Roadmap for Increasing Black Homeownership in October 2022. Black homeownership in the Cincinnati Metro Area is around 34%, while white homeownership is approximately 74% — a nearly 40% gap. This gap is one of the worst compared to other cities across the country, and is also getting worse over time.

The Roadmap for Increasing Black Homeownership proposed six key policy recommendations that would increase Black homeownership and preserve existing Black homeowners:

1. Expand lending to Black and low-income homeowners that is fair and non-predatory

2. Establish a loan and grant fund to support existing low- and moderate- income homeowners

3. Modify zoning to be more inclusive

4. Provide property tax relief to low-income homeowners in neighborhoods where property values are rising at a rate above the Countywide average

5. Modify tax abatement incentives to support Black homeowners and homeowners in neighborhoods experiencing weak housing market performance that include a significant number of Black households

6. Create an independent, transparent monitoring process

The recommendations and specific initiatives highlighted in the Roadmap for Increasing Black Homeownership draw from existing reports and plans including LISC’s Housing Our Future report, the Fair Housing Assessment for Cincinnati and Hamilton County, and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s Embracing Growth Principles for Regional Housing.

In 2026, HOME released an updated Roadmap report that takes a deeper look at current conditions, incorporating new data and refined recommendations for local officials and lending institutions. The update underscores both ongoing disparities and the continued need for strategies that expand access to and preserve Black homeownership in the Cincinnati region.

This builds on HOME’s October 2023 report, The Road So Far, which summarized the landscape of efforts at that time and outlined immediate action items to increase and preserve Black homeownership. The 2023 update found that progress had been made in both policy and funding, with elected and appointed officials at the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County demonstrating a stronger focus on Black homeownership than in years past.

To see the full version of the 2026 Roadmap Update, please click here.

To see the full version of the 2023 Roadmap Update, please click here.

For a full version of the original 2022 Roadmap, please click here.

Status Updates: