Program Directory

Columbus Metropolitan Club - 3-24-2021 - Solving the Affordable Housing Puzzle

According to a September 4, 2020 article in the ColumbusUnderground, "There have been plenty of reports and studies in the last several years on the shortage of affordable housing in Central Ohio. And last year, a $100 million housing fund was established and Columbus voters approved a $50 million bond package to address that shortage. A new effort was unveiled this week which aims to lay out a clear strategy both for the allocation of those types of resources and for making sure that the burden of tackling the challenge doesn't fall solely on the shoulders of Columbus - that the many suburbs, towns and smaller cities throughout the region also take part. In the report, the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission's new Regional Housing Strategy identifies five core regional housing issues:

1.Increased competition for homes, driven by increased population growth, a low rate of housing production, and lasting impacts from the Great Recession.
2.Barriers limiting access to homes, including disparities in lending practices, creditworthiness, housing instability, and housing discrimination.
3.Limited supply of homes priced for low-income households, as more homes are built at higher price points, the region loses some of its existing affordable options (including single-family rentals and expiring subsidized housing), and demand for rental assistance continues to outweigh supply.
4.Demand for more homes that serve a wider range of ages, abilities, and household sizes, which is growing as a result of the region's changing demographics. This includes trends like the increasing racial and ethnic diversity in Central Ohio and the growing number of both older and younger adults in the region.
5.Housing instability among Central Ohioans, as reflected in the region's rates of cost-burden, evictions, homelessness, and homes in need of repair."

Our panel will discuss how to tackle the multiple challenges identified in this report, and who is playing a part in working to solve this complicated issue in our community.

Featuring Lark Mallory, General Counsel and Director of CDFI Investments at Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County; Aaron Schill, Director of Data and Mapping, MORPC, and Jennifer Gorsuch Walters, President Fairfield Homes, Inc., with host Mark Ferenchik, journalist, The Columbus Dispatch.

March 24, 2021