Whitehall nationally recognized for affordable housing policies

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- The National League of Cities is Columbus for its annual leadership conference, and the league honored a local city for its affordable housing efforts.

In a news release, Whitehall said it was recognized by the National League of Cities (NLC) for its local leadership in affordable housing and community development. City spokespersons said it was an honor to be recognized by the NLC, an expansive coalition of local government leaders from around the country, for Whitehall's ongoing affordable housing policies.

Along with the NLC highlighting the city, Whitehall Mayor Michael Bivens was a featured speaker for the NLC's Summer Board Leadership Conference, which took place in Columbus from Tuesday to Thursday. NLC members also toured Whitehall's new affordable housing complex, The Enclave on Main, to see up close how Whitehall is handling low-income housing.

"We have been all full steam ahead with respect to affordable housing within the past five years, so to be recognized by this national thought leader, National League of Cities, is an extreme honor," Bivens said.

The Enclave on Main is an affordable apartment building for low-income tenants that opened in May. As part of securing the affordable housing complex, Whitehall approved a payment in lieu of taxes for The Enclave for 15 years for 100% of its residential improvements. This allows The Enclave to avoid certain taxes through 2040 in exchange for a set payment or payments to Whitehall.

The nearly $30 million development is reserved for renters who make between 30% and 80% of the areas annual income. In Whitehall, the U.S. Census estimates residents' median income to be about $50,800, so residents at The Enclave make between $15,000 and $41,000 annually. Rent at The Enclave ranges between $435 to $1,240 per month, depending on income and unit size, according to Enclave developer Woda Cooper Companies.

The NLC celebrated Whitehall and Bivens for "creative policymaking and community-centered strategies" as it relates to local affordable housing solutions. According to Whitehall's 2024 annual report, the city built 500 new housing units between 2018 and 2024, 20% of which were inclusive developments for affordability or disability housing.

“Affordable housing has been a key priority for our city as Central Ohio continues to grow and expand," Bivens said. "As the city of opportunity, we want to be a place where first-time home buyers can come and build their lives."

Thursday evening, Bivens spoke at the NLC's small cities council meeting, offering insights on Whitehall positioning itself to best attract affordable housing investments. He spoke about the history of Whitehall as it relates to affordable housing, and how the city plans to continue attracting affordable housing opportunities in the future.

Some Whitehall residents opposed The Enclave because of the accompanying tax break and concerns about local school crowding. Residents have raised similar concerns about another development proposed for Whitehall, this one regarding high-end town houses. See previous coverage of this development in the video player above.

Residents were so concerned about the high-end housing development tax break proposals that they successfully petitioned to get the tax breaks on the ballot for a public vote, rather than for city council approval. In 2021, Whitehall residents did the same thing about The Enclave, but city council rewrote the legislation, making the petition irrelevant for voting. Whitehall City Council introduced similar legislative changes this past week for the high-end development.