The Port
The Port is a public redevelopment agency in Greater Cincinnati that finances and executes neighborhood, industrial, and commercial real estate revitalization through public finance tools, landbanking, and direct development programs serving municipalities, developers, manufacturers, and homeowners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersCincinnati, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Port does
The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority (operating as "The Port") is a public redevelopment agency established in 2001, headquartered at 221 E. Fourth Street in Cincinnati, Ohio. It executes real estate development, public finance, and neighborhood revitalization across Hamilton County and the broader Greater Cincinnati region through three core practices: Public Finance (TIF, structured leases, conduit tax-exempt bond issuance, PACE, Southwest Ohio Regional Bond Fund); Neighborhood Revitalization (residential rehabilitation via REACH and CARE Homes, commercial district revitalization, and landbank operations through the Hamilton County Land Reutilization Corporation managing 1,000+ properties); and Industrial Revitalization (site readiness, environmental remediation, and brownfield cleanup on 250+ acres). It operates four wholly-managed entities (Hamilton County Landbank, Homesteading and Urban Redevelopment Corporation, Uptown Consortium, and Communities First Ohio) and runs multiple programs including the Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program, DREAM Loan Fund, GC-PACE, Communities First down payment assistance, and a Remediation Loan Program capitalized by an $800,000 EPA grant.
The Port's customer base spans municipalities and government entities (City of Cincinnati, Blue Ash, Harrison, Mount Healthy, Mariemont City Schools), private developers (3CDC, Model Group, North American Properties, Core Redevelopment, Vandercar, Al. Neyer, Flaherty & Collins, Pearl Companies, Birge & Held, PLK Communities), enterprises (Kroger, Anthem, JTM Food Group, Integrity Express Logistics), and individual homeowners participating in its home repair and homeownership programs. Revenue mechanics include bond issuance fees, property disposition proceeds and lease income, loan interest from below-market portfolios, grant administration, and structured-lease-based sales tax exemption services. GTM is community-led and partnership-driven, executed through direct engagement with municipalities, community development corporations, financial institutions, and developers on project-by-project basis rather than through any software product or self-serve channel.
The Port firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Port
- Legal name
- The Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority
- Website
- https://cincinnatiport.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Port is a public redevelopment agency in Greater Cincinnati that finances and executes neighborhood, industrial, and commercial real estate revitalization through public finance tools, landbanking, and direct development programs serving municipalities, developers, manufacturers, and homeowners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Port industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Economic Development and Real Estate Redevelopment Services
- NAICS
- Residential Property Managers (531311), Services to Buildings and Dwellings (5617)
- SIC
- Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)
Keywords
Where The Port is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cincinnati
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Port business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Public Finance Services: The Port generates revenue through issuing tax-exempt and taxable bonds as a conduit issuer for development projects. They provide financing tools including TIF (Tax Increment Financing), structured leases, and other public finance mechanisms. Revenue comes from issuance fees, bond structuring fees, and interest earned on loan programs.
- Property Disposition and Development: The Port acquires, develops, rehabilitates, and sells or leases properties. This includes landbank properties, industrial sites, residential homes, and commercial buildings. Revenue is generated through property sales, lease payments, and development fees.
- Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program: The Port administers below-market rate loans (2% interest) to homeowners for home repairs. While the primary purpose is community benefit, the program generates interest income on the loan portfolio ($5,000-$25,000 loans over 10 years).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Legacy Home Improvement Loan - $5,000 loan |
| Other | Monthly | Legacy Home Improvement Loan - $15,000 loan |
| Other | Monthly | Legacy Home Improvement Loan - $25,000 loan |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Port product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Port is a public redevelopment agency that addresses Hamilton County's toughest real estate challenges by combining public finance tools, property development, and land reutilization. It issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds, structures Tax Increment Financing and structured lease deals, acquires and rehabilitates vacant and industrial properties through the Hamilton County Landbank, and operates homeowner-facing programs including the Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program, CARE Homes Initiative, and Communities First down payment assistance. Its work targets job-creating development, affordable and market-rate housing, neighborhood revitalization, and brownfield remediation across Greater Cincinnati.
Product overview
The Port (Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority) is a public agency providing real estate redevelopment services through multiple interconnected programs and financing tools. Its core offerings include the Public Finance Practice (offering TIF, structured leases, tax-exempt debt, and special assessment financing), Neighborhood Revitalization (residential and commercial rehabilitation through REACH and landbanking via the Hamilton County Landbank), and Industrial Revitalization (site readiness, environmental stewardship, and third-party project management). Supporting programs include the Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program, CARE Homes Initiative, DREAM Loan Fund, Communities First down payment assistance, GC-PACE energy financing, Remediation Loan Program, and the Southwest Ohio Regional Bond Fund. The organization operates as a platform of complementary development finance tools and property development programs rather than a single unified software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program: Low-interest home repair loan program offering up to $25,000 at 2% interest rate for resident homeowners in Cincinnati
- REACH (Rehab Across Cincinnati and Hamilton County)
- CARE Homes Initiative
- GC-PACE (Greater Cincinnati Property Assessed Clean Energy)
- Communities First Ohio
- DREAM Loan Fund (Driving Real Estate to Accelerate Microenterprise)
Products and services
- Public Finance Practice Provides public financing tools and bond issuance services to developers, municipalities, and communities, including Tax Increment Financing (TIF), structured leases, conduit tax-exempt and taxable bond issuance, PACE financing, special assessment financing, and credit-enhancement via the Southwest Ohio Regional Bond Fund, unlocking real estate for housing, jobs, and infrastructure.
- Neighborhood Revitalization Revives blighted, vacant, and underperforming residential and commercial properties across Hamilton County neighborhoods through rehabilitation, new construction, and community development programs, supporting increased access to homeownership and revitalized business districts.
- Industrial Revitalization Prepares forgotten industrial sites for advanced manufacturers and job-creating businesses through acquisition, demolition, environmental remediation, and site readiness services, including brownfield cleanup support and third-party project management.
- Hamilton County Landbank Acquires, holds, and disposes vacant and abandoned properties throughout Hamilton County awaiting new owners and uses, working with rehabbers, developers, residents, and municipalities to improve communities through blight removal and property stabilization.
- Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program Offers loans of $5,000 to $25,000 at 2% interest rate over 10 years to resident homeowners for home repairs, improvements, and energy upgrades, with free home energy audits included; subject to Median Family Income limits and an $85 application fee (currently waived for introductory period).
- REACH Home Rehab Program Focuses on the acquisition and rehabilitation of blighted residential properties to provide housing options across multiple price points from affordable to market-rate across Hamilton County.
- CARE Homes Initiative Creating Affordable Real Estate initiative that acquired 194 single-family homes from an out-of-town investor to provide housing stability and pathways toward homeownership, countering institutional investor activity in the local housing market.
- DREAM Loan Fund Driving Real Estate to Accelerate Microenterprise - a revolving loan fund that finances buildout and tenant improvements of storefronts for local micro-entrepreneurs, including supporting minority-owned businesses. Seeded by $5 million from the Kresge Foundation.
- Communities First - Down Payment Assistance Provides first mortgage financing and down payment and closing cost assistance grants to eligible homebuyers in Ohio through 80 participating lenders, supporting pathways to homeownership.
- GC-PACE (Greater Cincinnati Property Assessed Clean Energy) Finances energy efficiency and renewable energy building improvements for commercial and industrial property owners through voluntary special assessments on property tax bills, with financing available for up to 30 years.
- Remediation Loan Program Provides loans to clean up contaminated commercial or industrial properties within Hamilton County, capitalizing an $800,000 EPA grant for brownfield remediation; supports tax-delinquent sites and developer projects requiring environmental cleanup.
- Green Bank Initiative A consortium partnership to create the region's first Green Bank focused on accelerating investment into Hamilton County's green economy and clean energy transition, led by Donovan Energy with The Port, CDF, Hamilton County, City of Cincinnati, and business committees.
- Sedamsville Home Repair Program Provides up to $15,000 in grants for resident homeowners to address exterior code violations and critical repairs in the Sedamsville neighborhood of Cincinnati.
Quantifiable outcome
- 200+ home sales completed, expanding access to quality housing across Hamilton County
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Port
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Port technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Port partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Greater Cincinnati Energy AlliancecoreGreater Cincinnati Energy Alliance established the Cincinnati Energy Special Improvement District (ESID) with The Port and City of Cincinnati for PACE financing program.
- City of CincinnaticoreCity of Cincinnati partners with The Port on the Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program and numerous redevelopment projects, providing grants, tax abatements, and regulatory support.
- Hamilton County LandbankcoreThe Hamilton County Land Reutilization Corporation (HCLRC) is managed by The Port and focuses on revitalizing vacant properties through acquisition, stabilization, and disposition.
- Homesteading and Urban Redevelopment Corporation (HURC)coreHURC is a managed entity of The Port focused on homeownership and urban redevelopment initiatives across Hamilton County.
- Uptown Consortium, Inc.coreUptown Consortium is a managed entity of The Port focused on development in the Uptown Cincinnati area.
- Price Hill WillcorePrice Hill Will is the community development corporation for Price Hill neighborhoods, partnering with The Port on ARCO redevelopment, REACH Price Hill, and The Frank restaurant project.
- City of HarrisoncoreCity of Harrison collaborated with The Port on JTM Food Group expansion project, providing local support and incentives.
- REDI CincinnaticoreREDI Cincinnati (Regional Economic Development Initiative) referred JTM Food Group to The Port's Public Finance team and participated in collaborative expansion efforts.
- HCDCminorHamilton County Development Company (HCDC) participated in collaborative effort to support JTM Food Group expansion.
- KrogercoreKroger partnered with The Port and 3CDC on Court and Walnut downtown development (45,000 SF urban grocery) and Oakley Station (Kroger Marketplace, largest in Ohio).
- Core RedevelopmentcoreCore Redevelopment is a key development partner for Alumni Lofts, Windsor Flats, and other historic renovation projects utilizing The Port's structured lease financing.
- City of Blue AshcoreCity of Blue Ash offered discounted land to retain Integrity Express Logistics and partnered with The Port on the deal structure.
- North American PropertiescoreNorth American Properties developed 8th and Sycamore using The Port's structured lease for sales tax exemption on construction materials.
- 3CDC (Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation)core3CDC is a major nonprofit development partner working with The Port on Fountain Square, 8th and Sycamore, 84.51 Building, and numerous CBD/OTR projects.
- Model GroupcoreModel Group partnered on Paramount Square development in Walnut Hills and ARCO project, including DREAM Loan Fund for Esoteric Brewery.
- Pearl CompaniescorePearl Companies is developing the Provident Bank Building using The Port's capital lease structure up to $28 million for 160 apartments.
- Vandercar HoldingscoreVandercar Holdings developed Oakley Station (former Milacron site) and partnered on Summit Park with Al. Neyer using TIF financing from The Port.
- USS RealtycoreUSS Realty secured Oakley Station site with Vandercar to address brownfield and infrastructure issues with The Port providing $6.8M TIF financing.
- Al. NeyercoreAl. Neyer developed Summit Park (former Blue Ash Airport) with Vandercar as Summit View Development LLC, using TIF bonds from The Port.
- City of Blue AshcoreCity of Blue Ash partnered with The Port and Summit View Development for 100+ acre mixed-use Summit Park redevelopment.
- PLK CommunitiescorePLK Communities is leading the Montgomery and Maple affordable senior housing project in Norwood using Port public finance assistance.
- Birge & HeldcoreBirge & Held is the development partner with PLK Communities on the 178-unit Montgomery and Maple affordable senior housing project.
- Donovan EnergycoreDonovan Energy is leading the Green Bank Initiative consortium with The Port, CDF, Hamilton County, City of Cincinnati, and business committees.
- Hamilton CountycoreHamilton County is part of the Green Bank Initiative consortium working to accelerate clean energy investment in the region.
- Flaherty & CollinscoreFlaherty & Collins developed 450 apartments at Oakley Station (The Boulevard) using The Port's TIF financing.
- City of Mount HealthyminorCity of Mount Healthy acquired Mt. Healthy Theater from Landbank for business district revitalization.
- Walnut Hills Redevelopment FoundationcoreWalnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation acquired Paramount Building from Landbank for McMillan Business District revitalization.
- Woodward Career Technologies AcademyminorLandbank partnered with Woodward Career Technologies Academy for student engagement and workforce development.
Scale indicators21 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Port competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- JobsOhio: Ohio's statewide private economic development corporation providing financing, incentives, and site readiness — directly comparable to The Port as a peer public/quasi-public development finance entity, just at the state rather than regional level (and actually partners with The Port on projects like JTM Food Group).
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development financial institution providing bridge loans, NMTC allocations, and project capital — comparable to The Port's DREAM Loan Fund and structured lease products. LISC is actually a partner of The Port on the ARCO project, validating the direct comparability.
- Huntington Bank (Community Development): Large regional bank with a public finance and community development division (where The Port's Lindsey Florea previously worked) — comparable in that it provides public finance tools, TIF structuring, and bond issuance for development projects, though as a much broader financial institution.
Direct peers
- REDI Cincinnati (Regional Economic Development Initiative): Regional economic development organization serving the same Greater Cincinnati geography as The Port; coordinates business attraction, retention, and site selection. Highly comparable as a public-private economic development peer operating in the same metro with overlapping job-creation and industrial attraction mandates.
- Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC): Major nonprofit developer and partner of The Port, focused on downtown Cincinnati and Over-the-Rhine real estate development, including Fountain Square and the 84.51 Building. Comparable as a public-purpose real estate developer with overlapping urban revitalization, mixed-use, and adaptive-reuse activities.
- Cuyahoga Land Bank: County land bank in Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio performing vacant property acquisition, demolition, and disposition — direct structural peer to the Hamilton County Landbank managed by The Port. Operates the same land reutilization model in a comparable Rust Belt Ohio metro.
- Cincinnati Development Fund: Local CDFI providing bridge loans and financing for real estate development in Greater Cincinnati — direct peer to The Port's public finance practice. Partners with The Port on ARCO and the Green Bank Initiative, confirming structural overlap.
- Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC): Public-private economic development corporation for the City of Detroit handling financing, real estate, and redevelopment — strong functional peer to The Port at similar scale and structure, though serving a different Rust Belt metro.
- Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority: Municipal redevelopment authority performing housing, landbanking, and public financing functions in Pittsburgh — direct structural peer to The Port operating the same public-authority model in a comparable Rust Belt city.
Regional players
- Greater Cleveland Neighborhood Centers: Comparable Ohio-based community development intermediary supporting neighborhood revitalization, housing, and community development — comparable to The Port's neighborhood revitalization and housing programs but operating in a different region.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Port social profiles
Digital presenceThe Port financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Port leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
The Port subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
The Port funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Port M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Port
What does The Port do?
The Port is a public redevelopment agency that addresses Hamilton County's toughest real estate challenges by combining public finance tools, property development, and land reutilization. It issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds, structures Tax Increment Financing and structured lease deals, acquires and rehabilitates vacant and industrial properties through the Hamilton County Landbank, and operates homeowner-facing programs including the Legacy Home Improvement Loan Program, CARE Homes Initiative, and Communities First down payment assistance. Its work targets job-creating development, affordable and market-rate housing, neighborhood revitalization, and brownfield remediation across Greater Cincinnati.
Is The Port a public or private company?
The Port is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was The Port founded?
The Port was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Port based?
The Port is headquartered in Cincinnati, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Port make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Public Finance Services are the primary driver. The others are property Disposition and Development and legacy Home Improvement Loan Program.
Who are The Port's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are JobsOhio, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and Huntington Bank (Community Development). Direct peers are REDI Cincinnati (Regional Economic Development Initiative), Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation (3CDC), Cuyahoga Land Bank, Cincinnati Development Fund, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) and Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority. Greater Cleveland Neighborhood Centers is listed as a regional player.
Does The Port have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Port.
What industry is The Port in?
The Port's product category is Economic Development and Real Estate Redevelopment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAJ, Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs). Its NAICS code is 531311 and its SIC code is 6552.