What Are New Community Authorities?
Vol. III, No. 164 - First authorized back in the 1970s, these districts are finding new life
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Throughout November, this publication is giving our readers an opportunity where our readers can support local food pantries. Every dollar received from our “Buy Me a Coffee” Page will be given to New Path Food Pantries.
We started November with a modest goal to raise $750. After the tenth day our campaign, our community has raised $2,345! Our new goal for November is to raise $2,500. Do you want to be part of this effort, along with 57 other donors to help support our efforts? You can by making a donation here:
What Are New Community Authorities?
Fifth years ago, the Ohio General Assembly drafted Chapter 349 of the Ohio Revised Code, which created these not-quite-governmental districts called “New Community Authorities”. This set of laws are finding new life as local communities like Tipp City and Huber Heights are using these districts to create new development opportunities within their community.
A New Community Authority (NCA) is a special organization created under Ohio law to help cities and developers pay for and manage big projects that make a community better. These projects can be new neighborhoods, shopping districts, or places where people live, work, and play. In recent years, local communities have begun looking at NCAs to support the kind of local development that brings jobs, new homes, and public spaces to life.
In everyday language, an NCA acts sort of like a mini-government, but only in a limited area called a community district. It is created when a developer and city officials want to build something new, like a new apartment community or a shopping district. They start by petitioning local leaders and then holding public hearings so people can learn more. Once the district is approved, an NCA board is formed to oversee how money is spent and what gets built. Board members look after neighborhood priorities and make sure decisions fit the community’s best interests.
The Ohio Revised Code, specifically Chapter 349, provides the rules for creating and running an NCA. This includes defining the legal boundaries of the district, outlining the powers of the authority, and setting up a board of trustees to govern the work. An NCA can collect something called a “community development charge,” which is a property-based fee paid by folks living or doing business in the district. This charge isn’t like a regular tax—it’s only used within the NCA boundary and isn’t paid by people who live elsewhere.
Money collected by the NCA is put to direct use for public improvements. The funds go to things like fixing streets, adding bike paths, building parks, or putting up new lighting and signs. NCAs can also help build shared parking garages, trails, and amenities that everyone in the district can use. Another important feature: NCAs can issue their own bonds, which is a way to borrow money for bigger projects. The payments for these bonds come from community charges, not from regular city taxes, which keeps costs fair for longtime residents.
The projects supported by NCAs are usually designed to encourage growth and make a district more appealing for both new and current residents. In Tipp City, for example, city leaders are working with developers to upgrade Uptown and Tipp Plaza so the area attracts new development. In Huber Heights, the city council is using the NCA tool to fund new roads and public spaces. These kinds of developments help cities build complete, modern neighborhoods and keep the cost from falling on current taxpayers.
Because NCAs only ask people in the development area to help pay for improvements, they are often seen as a fair way to support local growth. Residents outside the district don’t have to pay extra. This system also gives local leaders a chance to listen to community voices and keep control over how projects are built. As more cities see success with NCAs, this model is likely to spread to even more communities in Ohio, especially as towns try to revamp downtowns, build new housing, or add public parks in ways that work for everyone.
Ultimately, New Community Authorities give another tool for communities to build the kind of neighborhoods people want—safe, modern, and full of opportunities—while making sure the costs are shared only by those who benefit most. This new approach to community building is gaining attention across the state.
Participate in our November Community Survey!
Back when this project was kicked off over two years ago, this newsletter was imagined as a helpful tool to not only help have our residents understand their community, but also to receive feedback and get ideas on how residents perceived where our hometowns was headed.
In order to achieve that goal, the decision was made to release a small survey that would ask residents their thoughts and feelings every two months. Every month seemed excessive, yet, once a quarter didn’t seem quite frequent enough. The idea was to help create a picture of the sentiment in the community and measure that sentiment over time.
So, throughout November, you can participate in our survey to give your thoughts and feelings on the direction of your hometown!
You can access the survey here:
Thanks for your time and your participation! It is greatly appreciated!
A New Handbook to grow Civic Capacity!
Recently, we created a new digital handbook, “The Citizen’s Guide to Public Records”. This handbook is designed to help residents have a better understanding of public meetings and meeting records. It’s filled with templates, ideas and other information that will open a new world of public affairs.
Also, if you have ideas for future handbooks, please let us know at pinnaclestrategiesltd@gmail.com.
Want to Learn More About Troy’s Businesses?
Our publication has recently released our September 2025 Economic Abstract, the most comprehensive and up-to-date report on the businesses and industries in the City of Troy. For those that want to understand our community’s business and industries, this is a must-have report.
Thank you to our New Media Partners!
Recently, many of our stories has been showing up on the local news website, www.mymiamicounty.com. We are grateful for the good folks for sharing our work with their audience and we would encourage our readers to check them out at their website!
Our publication would also like to recognize the good work being done at www.piquanewsnow.com. Piqua News Now is a new web-based news and information site for the Miami County area, with a specific focus on Piqua!
In addition, the good folks at Piqua News Now have started a new, 24-hour streaming YouTube channel. This channel is awesome with continuous weather updates and more importanly, it provides a 24-hour audio feed from county wide dispatch. Check it out here!
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