Cincinnati’s original Affordable Housing Trust Fund (Fund 439) was created in 2018 when we convinced the City Council to pass an ordinance establishing and defining it. 

Fund 439 was established to preserve and develop affordable housing and prevent homelessness in the City of Cincinnati. There is a critical shortage of affordable and accessible housing in the City of Cincinnati. Over 28,770 households in the city have an annual income below $23,000, but pay more than 30% of their income on housing. Fund 439 was developed to fill the growing need for targeted investments into housing for our lowest income earners.  To this day, it is the only fund in the City of Cincinnati whose sole purpose is to target investments where the need is greatest. 

Investments under Fund 439 will help the low-income family of three earning $25,800 a year or less, keep their total housing costs for a two-bedroom apartment to $645 a month. For a family of three earning $43,000 a year or less those costs will be capped at $1,075 a month. These targeted investments will benefit our entire city and help us to build a safe and vibrant Cincinnati community.

The Fund also promotes fair housing by barring funding from entities that discriminate based on race, colors, sex, nationality, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, familial composition, economic class, criminal background, homelessness, or ability.