City Planning and Engagement Menu

BuildReady: Pre-Approved Plans

Background

In 2025 the City of Cincinnati received a $2 million Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). With the grant funds, the City intends to create a set of freely available pre-approved plans for two-, three-, and four-family buildings (aka Middle Housing), followed by construction of two demonstration projects using the plans. To kick off the process, the City will also host an open-call design competition to generate ideas and interest for the pre-approved plans and provide an opportunity for community engagement.

This project, called BuildReady, is a joint effort by the City Manager’s Office, the Department of City Planning and Engagement (DCPE), the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the Department of Buildings and Inspections (B&I), and the Innovation Team. 

 

Project Information

The goal of BuildReady is to create pre-approved middle housing plans that are:

  1. Contextual: Respect and enhance the context of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods
  2. Attainable: Offer practical designs that keep costs within reach for many residents
  3. Scalable: Make it possible for developers of all sizes to build these homes efficiently

The project will contain three parts: an open-call design competition, creation of pre-approved plans, and a demonstration project. These parts are detailed below.

Open Call Design Competition (Summer 2026)

To kick off the project, the project team will host an Open Call Design Competition for innovative, yet practical middle housing designs. Submissions would be open to anyone, and would likely include a conceptual plan, rendering, and narrative. The purpose of this competition is to push creative and new ideas for middle housing in Cincinnati, generate interest from the local development and design community, and be a tool for community engagement that will inform criteria for the later RFP. 

Pre-Approved Plans (Fall and Winter 2026-2027)

After the Open Call Design Competition, the City will solicit a qualified team or firm of professionals through a Request for Proposals (RFP) to develop a set of pre-approved building plans for two-, three-, and four-family buildings in Cincinnati. The requirements for RFP submissions will be informed by learnings from the Open Call Design Competition and tailored to the specifications of the PRO Housing grant.

There will be six plans created in total, two for each building type. The plans will be complete construction drawings, except for items pertaining to specific site conditions like a foundation. The purpose of the pre-approved plans is to lower soft costs and speed up the permitting timeline for middle housing, while ensuring compatibility with existing neighborhoods. 

Demonstration Project (2027)

Following the completion of the plans, DCED will award City land and funds to a qualified team or firm to construct two demonstration projects using the pre-approved plans. The grant funds will help with site preparation and development costs. The demonstration project will serve to provide price comparisons for developers, lenders, and realtors, and create definitive material quantities and cost itemizations, minimizing uncertainty for prospective users of the plans. 

 

Where Are We Right Now?

BuildReady is in the very early stages and actively developing. The team is currently soliciting feedback from professionals and the public to: 

  1. Refine the process for the design competition and the RFP for pre-approved plans
  2. Ensure broad participation in the design competition and usage of pre-approved plans
  3. Further understand existing barriers to construction of this style of housing overall
  4. Design meaningful engagement with residents and the local development community

A project timeline and further details will be provided once final. 

 

How to Get Involved

Listed here are currently active opportunities to engage with BuildReady. For information about specific meetings, see the Upcoming Meetings section below.

Request for Information (RFI)

The project team is soliciting feedback from development professionals such as architects, developers, contractors, and engineers via a Request for Information (RFI) through the city's Office of Procurement. Respondents may submit a written response to a series of questions listed in the RFI pertaining to the items listed in the section above. As part of the RFI process, the team will host two feedback sessions where respondents may ask questions about the RFI and provide feedback via discussion​.

The RFI opens on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 and closes on Friday, March 27, 2026 at Noon. Respondents may submit questions about the RFI no later than Friday, March 13, 2026 at Noon. Responses to all questions will be distributed on Friday, March 20, 2026 at Noon. Details about the virtual RFI sessions are listed in the section below.

Direct all RFI questions to Bethany Pritchard at Bethany.Pritchard@cincinnati-oh.gov  

 
Public Engagement

Throughout the project, the City will share flyers, videos, surveys, and other information about BuildReady. Additionally, there are several exciting ways for residents and community members to get involved:

  • Give Online Feedback: Online surveys will be offered during the project, and during the BuildReady Design Competition, members of the public can vote on each submission.
  • Request a Presentation: Are you a member of an interested organization, such as a Community Council? Make a request for the City to give a presentation about BuildReady at an upcoming meeting! These meetings will be coordinated based on staff capacity, and to get in touch, fill out the form by March 27th: bit.ly/BuildReady-Presentation
  • Join an Input Group
    • Community Judging Group: During the Design Competition, the City will convene a group of residents and community members to individually review and score each application. Volunteers must commit to an introductory meeting in late April, coordination meetings throughout the summer, and individual review of submissions throughout the month of August. (Similar design competitions held in other cities received 100+ applications). No architecture or related experience required.
    • Join the Technical Support Group: This group will provide detailed information about the elements to be included or excluded in the final pre-approved plan set, including analysis of costs and tradeoffs. Volunteers must commit to two meetings of two hours each in late April/early May 2026 (weeknights or Saturdays), with possible follow-ups Fall 2026 and early 2027. No architecture or related experience required.

Sign up for either group: Registration is open now through March 27: bit.ly/BuildReady-EngagementSignUp. You may apply for more than one group, but space is limited and the City cannot guarantee placement. Once registration closes, the project team will review applications and select participants based on qualifications and availability

 

Upcoming Meetings
  • RFI Meeting 1
    • Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026 from 12:00-1:00 PM
    • Location: Held virtually on Zoom
    • To register: Email Bethany Pritchard at Bethany.Pritchard@cincinnati-oh.gov
    • Purpose: This meeting is intended for prospective respondents to the Request for Information (RFI) to provide an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback through discussion. The general public is not intended audience, but anyone is permitted to attend
  • RFI Meeting 2
    • Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026 from 12:00-1:00 PM​
    • Location: Held virtually on Zoom
    • To register: Email Bethany Pritchard at Bethany.Pritchard@cincinnati-oh.gov
    • Purpose: This meeting is intended for prospective respondents to the Request for Information (RFI) to provide an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback through discussion. The general public is not intended audience, but anyone is permitted to attend
  • Public Informational Meeting 1 (Virtual)
    • Date: Monday, March 16, 2026 from 6:00-7:30 PM
    • Location: Virtually on Zoom
    • To register: bit.ly/BuildReady-OnlineInfoMeeting
    • Purpose: This meeting is for members of the public to learn about BuildReady and the upcoming community engagement processes to create and develop pre-approved plans. This session will provide an opportunity to ask questions about what is coming in the future 
  • Public Informational Meeting 2 (In-Person)
    • Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 6:00-7:30 PM​
    • Location: In-person at Evanston Recreation Center (3204 Woodburn Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45207)
    • To register: bit.ly/BuildReady-InPersonInfoMeeting
      • Note: Walk-ups are allowed, but pre-registration is preferred​
    • Purpose: This meeting is for members of the public to learn about BuildReady and the upcoming community engagement processes to create and develop pre-approved plans. This session will provide an opportunity to ask questions about what is coming in the future 

 

Contact

 

Resources and Related Links

City of Cincinnati

Federal Grant Program

 

Local Partner Organizations

 

Stay Connected

For project updates, visit this page or email BuildReady@cincinnati-oh.gov to be added to the mailing list.