By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A community organization is looking for solutions to Bowling Green’s housing issues in unlikely places – old industrial sites that can be transformed into smaller inexpensive homes, and older apartmentized houses that can be reverted back to single-family homes.
The “Call to Action” plan is being proposed by the Bowling Green Save Our Neighborhoods Group, a non-profit development corporation trying to increase housing options in the city.
In its brief existence, BG SONG has been a force to reckon with in Bowling Green. Last year, the citizens group was successful in getting compromises in the city’s zoning code update. And earlier this year, the group executed a “Rock the Block” program, sprucing up the exteriors of homes in older neighborhoods.
This latest challenge has led BG SONG to reach out to even more community members, to make use of their expertise and to get them on board, according to Rose Drain, president of the organization.
“We all have a common interest in seeing that Bowling Green is a city not stuck,” Drain said. “We want to raise up the city. We want to meet a variety of housing needs.”
For years city leaders have heard concerns about the lack of affordable housing stock, and about single family homes being turned into rental apartments.
Community leaders were thrilled in 2023, when a developer proposed a housing subdivision at the southwest corner of Brim and Newton roads. The development was the first new housing subdivision planned in years – with starting prices of $225,000 per home.
But by earlier this year, the starting prices had mushroomed to the mid $300,000s for the 123 homes.
“It’s hard to hear young people who want to buy a home in Bowling Green who aren’t successful,” Drain said. “What can be done to make more homes available to people who want modest homes?”
Drain plans to present the “Call for Action” challenge to City Council on Monday evening, with many of the ideas already introduced in the 2018 Community Action Plan and the 2014 Community Improvement Plan.
BG SONG is suggesting two plans of attack:
Turning unused business sites into affordable small homes
One goal is to transform old unused industrial sites into attractive housing developments, Drain said.
The new zoning code in 2023 allows for residential housing in some of the older light industrial and commercial areas of the city – now designated as Mixed Use Neighborhood Zones.
Bowling Green has some pockets of old industry tucked among residential areas. Those areas could be developed into condominiums, tiny houses (trends in other cities across the U.S.), little flats, and homes for retirees, with smaller neighborhood businesses next door, Drain said.
Turning back time on some rentals
BG SONG is also interested in buying some rental properties – specifically single family homes that have been divided into apartments – in the older neighborhoods in the city, refurbishing them and selling them to owners committed to making the houses their homes.
This proposal could help bring families back to some of the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown, Drain said.
Both of these proposals would help preserve the rich agricultural land surrounding the city, Drain said, while helping provide affordable housing to more potential homeowners.
To accomplish these goals, members of BG SONG have been making connections in the community – looking for support in the form of expertise and finances. As a non-profit organization, the group is pursuing grant funding, but realizes more will be needed.
“We would need public-private partnerships,” Drain said.
The group has a list of more than 100 community stakeholders who they hope to get involved.
“My hope is that we engage the right people to help it move ahead,” Drain said. “We’re not developers. There are many areas we are not experts in.”
So far, BG SONG leadership has met with BG City Council members, local rental agencies, representatives of the Ohio Housing & Homelessness Coalition and Wood County Housing and Homelessness, and BGSU Executive Masters of Organizational Development and Change.
Drain said she assured the larger rental agencies in Bowling Green that BG SONG wants to work with them for better housing options.
“We’re not coming after them, not pointing fingers at them,” she said. “There’s plenty of room for rentals and single-family homes. We’re not a threat.”
Two meetings have been scheduled to discuss the “Call to Action” plan.
- Wednesday, Aug. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m., will be a planning session at the Wood County Committee on Aging, 140 S. Grove St. BG SONG wants to find common interests on housing issues with a broad group of stakeholders in preparation for a community forum.
- Saturday, Oct. 12, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be a public forum planned in partnership with the city of Bowling Green. The goal is to acknowledge problems, identify novel solutions, and create an actionable plan to move forward using recommendations from the city’s 2018 Community Action Plan and the 2014 Land Use Plan as guides. The location of this forum will be reported when a site is determined.
“We’re very interested in hearing from anyone in the community,” Drain said. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to bowlinggreensong@gmail.com or 419-450-2233.
Following are links to the community plans being referenced:
City of BG 2018 Community Action Plan https://www.bgohio.org/DocumentCenter/View/547/Community-Action-Plan-PDF#:~:text=It%20describes%20strategies%20to%20improve,owner%2Doccupied%20household%20market%2C%20attracting
City of BG 2014 Community Improvement Plan https://www.bgohio.org/DocumentCenter/View/711/2014-Bowling-Green-Improvement-Plan-PDF
