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Government Affairs Update for June 2021

Bob JonesGeneral News, government affairs

Federal

Court Maintains CDC Eviction Moratorium Pending Appeal

A recent appeals court ruled in the lawsuit filed by the Alabama and Georgia REALTOR® associations, two housing providers, and their property management companies, seeking relief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) eviction moratorium that is having a detrimental financial impact on housing providers across the country. On June 2, the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ruled against a motion filed by the plaintiffs seeking to vacate an emergency stay issued by the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

In early May, the DC District Court vacated the CDC moratorium based on statutory overreach, which the Department of Justice appealed. However, the district court issued an emergency stay pending that appeal and the DC Circuit Court’s recent action upheld that stay. In response, the plaintiffs have petitioned the Supreme Court to vacate the stay before the CDC order expires at the end of June. Housing providers should continue to monitor the case, as the CDC’s eviction moratorium remains in effect nationwide through its expiration on June 30th, or any further extensions, pending consideration by the Supreme Court.

State

Ohio REALTORS® urge support for First-Time Homebuyer Savings Act

House Bill 186, to create tax-deductible savings accounts for first-time homebuyers to purchase a home, received proponent testimony from a number of business groups, including Ohio REALTORS® during a House Ways & Means Committee hearing last week.

Brian Whitta, a REALTOR® member from Findlay, described the measure as the top legislative priority for Ohio REALTORS®. The House Bill is a companion bill to Senate Bill 24, which is currently in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Other groups supporting the bill are the Ohio Chamber, Ohio Bankers League, Ohio Mortgage Bankers Association, Ohio Land Title Association, and more.

Local

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Regional Economic Development Directors Join Dayton REALTORS® Workforce Housing Forum

Dayton REALTORS® welcomed Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Dayton Development Coalition Executive Vice President for Regional Development Julie Sullivan, and dozens of economic development directors and members to hear from Ady Advantage regarding the results of a workforce housing study commissioned by Dayton REALTORS®.

Titled “A Glance at Dayton Workforce Housing: Essential Steps for Growth”, the forum discussed ways that municipalities can adopt innovative strategies to decrease the regulatory burden of constructing workforce housing, a critical component to attracting companies to the Dayton region from around the world. Dayton REALTORS® looks forward to continuing to work with municipalities on these solutions.

The Race for Dayton Mayor is Down to Two

The three-way Dayton mayoral race will shrink to two candidates after Jeffrey Mims Jr. and Rennes Bowers defeated former mayor Gary Leitzell.

Mims received more than twice as many votes as his competitors in the primary runoff election, and Bowers came in second.

Mims, a Democrat, is a two-term Dayton Commissioner and Rennes, a retired Dayton deputy fire chief, is a self-described conservative but is running as an Independent.

Mims and Bowers will face off this November to replace Mayor Nan Whaley, who is running for Governor.