Ohio Rev. Code § 5321 § 5321.19
Effect of chapter on political subdivisions.
Operative Text
(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, no political subdivision may enact, adopt, renew, maintain, enforce, or continue in existence any charter provision, ordinance, resolution, rule, or other measure that is in conflict with this chapter, or that regulates the rights and obligations of parties to a rental agreement that are regulated by this chapter, including, without limitation, by any way imposing or requiring rent control or rent stabilization. (B) This chapter does not preempt any of the following: (1) Housing, building, health, or safety code, or any ordinance as described in division (A)(9) of section 5321.04 of the Revised Code, of any political subdivision; (2) Charter provision, ordinance, resolution, rule, or other measure of a political subdivision that regulates, or has the effect of regulating in any way, rent charged or paid for the use of residential premises that such political subdivision owns or operates; (3) A political subdivision from adopting any charter provision, ordinance, resolution, rule, or other measure to implement a plan to use voluntary incentives or agreements that regulates, or has the effect of regulating in any way, rent charged or paid for the use of residential premises so long as such regulating is related to voluntary incentives or agreements to increase or maintain the supply or improve the quality of available residential premises, including, without limitation, incentives authorized by federal law, the incentives set forth in sections 3735.65 to 3735.70 of the Revised Code, tax abatements, tax credit financing, bond or other financing, or loans or grants from the political subdivision.
Ohio Revised Code § 5321.19 establishes a statewide preemption rule that bars cities, counties, and other local governments from passing or enforcing any local law—including rent control or rent stabilization ordinances—that conflicts with or duplicates the landlord-tenant rights and obligations already governed by Chapter 5321. Three categories of local action remain permitted despite this preemption: local housing, building, health, and safety codes; rules governing rent on property the local government itself owns or operates; and voluntary incentive programs (such as tax abatements, tax credits, or grants) designed to expand or improve the housing supply. The provision draws a clear line between mandatory rent regulation, which is prohibited at the local level, and voluntary, incentive-based approaches, which local governments may still pursue.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 5321.19, property owners and managers operating in Ohio can rely on the fact that no city or county may impose rent control or rent stabilization requirements on privately owned residential units beyond what Chapter 5321 already provides. Compliant operators generally stay informed about local housing, building, health, and safety codes, which are explicitly preserved by this section and continue to apply regardless of the statewide preemption. Landlords who participate in voluntary local incentive programs—such as tax abatements or affordable-housing financing arrangements—should be aware that those programs are also expressly permitted under § 5321.19(B)(3) and may carry their own contractual rent-related conditions.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 5321.19 means that, in Ohio, tenants generally cannot look to their city or county for rent control protections on privately owned units, because local governments are prohibited from enacting such measures under this provision. However, local housing, building, health, and safety codes remain fully in effect, so tenants may still file complaints with local code-enforcement agencies when conditions in their unit fall below those standards. Tenants who live in housing connected to a voluntary local incentive program—such as a tax-abatement or affordable-housing financing arrangement—may have rent-related protections tied to that specific program, and tenant-rights organizations can help clarify what obligations, if any, apply in those circumstances under § 5321.19(B)(3).
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.