Aftab Pureval unveils reforms that could 'change the very face' of Cincinnati

Voters last November sent a message when they elected a new mayor and city council, Mayor Aftab Pureval told a crowd of city leaders Tuesday night in his first State of the City address.

Pureval said he believes he and the city council “have answered that call” voters made a year ago.

“They called, they mandated, for us to step up and chart a new future,” Pureval said Tuesday. “To change the culture in City Hall, to work as a unified body for the common good, to have our debates and disagreements out in the open, and to implement a comprehensive plan to build a bright, equitable future for Cincinnati.”

In a 40-minute speech, Pureval unveiled zoning reforms, affordable housing initiatives and other policies he said could "change the very face of Cincinnati."

Pureval chose as the setting of his address an auditorium in the historic Union Terminal, a beloved landmark many presidents have also used for the backdrop of speeches.

Here are four highlights from his speech.

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More multi-family housing and other zoning changes

Pureval in his speech said he will push for major reform to the city's zoning policies. It will include more multifamily housing, townhomes and rowhomes "near our commerce centers and transit corridors."

"Right now, Cincinnati is designed to be segregated and to concentrate poverty," Pureval said. "And in order to grow equitably, we have to fix that."

He also said he wants to make development less "car-centric" and ensure parking lots don't create problems for pedestrians.

"As we work to make sure neighborhoods serve everybody, we have to change our relationship with parking so that it’s a factor in building, but not what we are building for," Pureval said.

Brent Spence Bridge: 'We will break ground'

After more than 20 years of planning and debate, the $2.7 billion Brent Spence Bridge project is as close as it's ever been to becoming a reality. The project will renovate the current bridge and build a companion bridge alongside it to handle the 160,000 cars a day that crosses the current Brent Spence Bridge. That's twice the traffic it was designed to handle when it was built in 1963.

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The region will learn in fall 2023 whether the project will get more than $2 billion in federal money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Pureval made a pledge about the bridge.

"Before I leave office, we will break ground," Pureval said to applause.

More tax incentives to low-income neighborhoods

Pureval said he wants to spur rehabs and development in low-income neighborhoods. On Tuesday, Pureval talked about a plan called "Lift, Expand, and Sustain" that would provide more tax abatements in neighborhoods based on income, home value and poverty levels. He didn't get into the specific requirements but said the abatements will be focused on where they're most needed.

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"Right now, the majority of these abatements go to our wealthiest neighborhoods," Pureval said. "Many residents, particularly lower-income residents, aren’t even aware of the ability to use this citywide incentive to build wealth through home improvement."

Affordable housing a priority

Pureval said the city will continue to expand affordable housing. One of the projects that will benefit from the city's affordable housing trust fund is Slater Hall, a 62-unit apartment building planned for the West End neighborhood, Pureval said.

Pureval also said he will propose spending $1 million to develop a program with the Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati to provide "legal services, emergency rental assistance and other interventions" to renters facing eviction.

Pureval concluded his speech with a message of hope.

"I promise you now, our best days have yet to come."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval gives first State of the City address