Office of Strategic Growth

Residential Tax Abatements are now facilitated by the Department of Opportunity and Resident Services.

Residential Tax Abatement Walkthrough Video

Residential CRA Online Application

Overview of Program

​The Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) Program is a direct incentive tax exemption program created by the State of Ohio to aid property owners who renovate existing or construct new buildings. It permits municipalities and counties to designate areas where investment has been discouraged and offer CRA programming to spur revitalization of the existing housing stock and new development. The City of Cincinnati’s entire municipal area is one CRA, with the Department of Opportunity and Resident Services (DORS) running Residential Tax Abatements (Residential CRAs) and the Office of Strategic Growth (OSG) facilitating Commercial Tax Abatements (Commercial CRAs).

When you invest in renovations or build a new home, your property taxes go up, adding an additional financial barrier for those hoping to renovate their homes or prospective homeowners hoping to construct a home – in particular, for low- to middle-income homeowners. We know this barrier can be the difference between cancelling a project or moving it forward. For last several decades, the Residential Property Tax Abatement program has allowed residents seeking renovations, improvements, or new housing construction, to pay taxes on the pre-improvement value of their property for up to 15 years.

These tax abatement benefits are available for any increased valuation – as determined by the Hamilton County Auditor – resulting from improvements to the property for new construction and renovation. The incentive stays with the property the entire length of the abatement and even in the event of a transfer to any new property owner within the approved time.

Department of Opportunity and Resident Services
805 Central Avenue | Suite 700
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

Phone: 513-352-6146
dors@cincinnati-oh.gov