Article VIII, Section 16 | State and political subdivisions to provide housing for individuals

To enhance the availability of adequate housing in the state and to improve the economic and general well-being of the people of the state, it is determined to be in the public interest and a proper public purpose for the state or its political subdivisions, directly or through a public authority, agency, or instrumentality, to provide, or assist in providing, by grants, loans, subsidies to loans, loans to lenders, purchase of loans, guarantees of loans, or otherwise as determined by the general assembly, housing, including shelters to provide temporary housing, in the state for individuals and families by the acquisition, financing, construction, leasing, rehabilitation, remodeling, improvement, or equipping of publicly or privately owned housing, including the acquisition of real property and interests in real property. Laws, including charters, ordinances, and resolutions, may be passed to carry into effect those purposes, including but not limited to the authorization of the making of grants, loans, subsidies to loans, loans to lenders, purchase of loans, and guarantees of loans by the state or its political subdivisions, directly or through a public authority, agency, or instrumentality, which laws, charters, ordinances, resolutions, grants, loans, subsidies to loans, loans to lenders, purchase of loans, guarantees of loans, and any other actions authorized by the general assembly shall not be subject to the requirement, limitations, or prohibitions of any other section of Article VIII, or Sections 6 and 11 of Article XII, Ohio Constitution.

The general assembly also may authorize the issuance by the state, directly or through its public authorities, agencies, or instrumentalities, or obligations to provide moneys for the provision of or assistance in the provision of housing, including shelters to provide temporary housing, in the state for individuals and families, which obligations are not supported by the full faith and credit of the state, and shall not be deemed to be debts or bonded indebtedness of the state under other provisions of this constitution. Such obligations may be secured by a pledge under law, without necessity for further appropriation, of all or such portion as the general assembly authorizes of revenues or receipts of the state or its public authorities, agencies, or instrumentalities, and this provision may be implemented by law to better provide therefor.

The powers granted under this section are independent of, in addition to, and not in derogation of other powers under laws, charters, ordinances, resolutions, or this constitution, including the powers granted under Section 14 of Article VIII and Articles X and XVIII, and the provision of any capital improvements under Section 2i of Article VIII, Ohio Constitution. The powers granted under this section do not impair any law, charter, ordinance, or resolution enacted prior to the effective date of this section or any obligations issued under such law, charter, ordinance, or resolution. The powers granted under this section are subject to the power of the general assembly to regulate taxation and debt of political subdivisions, including the regulation of municipal taxation and debt pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII and Section 13 of Article XVIII, Ohio Constitution.

The powers granted to political subdivisions under this section shall be operative on and after September 1, 1991, or on an earlier date that an act of the general assembly declares such powers shall be operative.