|
We’re cracking down on violence in the Short North by introducing a number of enhanced safety measures, including an increased police presence and round-the-clock surveillance. I am pleased to report that we’ve seen great success with four back-to-back weekends of improved safety and security. At the same time, we continue to expand our focus on safety city-wide with Operation Moonlight, a comprehensive, data-driven approach that’ll once again place up to 40 additional officers in high-visibility areas during key times throughout the summer. I am also happy to announce the return of our successful Safe Streets program, deploying uniformed bike officers across Columbus neighborhoods to foster open dialogue and trust with the community while conducting enforcement activities to keep our residents safe.
It is our collective responsibility to invest in our youth 24/7/365, but doing so is particularly important during the summer when they need access to opportunities that keep them safe, active and engaged. That is why the city is investing $20.1 million in summer youth programming this year, including $8.9 million to more than 90 community organizations that submitted funding requests as part of an open, competitive application process. Requests were evaluated based on their potential to:
- Reduce youth violence,
- Improve workforce readiness,
- Connect youth with education and employment,
- And provide academic enrichment.
View the full list of awardees on the city website, and be sure to sign up for one of these fantastic summer programs while slots are still available.
Last week, I announced the city’s largest single-year capital budget totaling $1.74 billion, paving the way for both new and improved public safety and neighborhood infrastructure – like a new Hilltop police substation and Northside fire station, sidewalks, street resurfacing, utilities and more.
This includes $50 million for affordable housing and home preservation projects, propelling us forward in our continuing journey to make Columbus more affordable for more families. These investments, along with updating the city’s zoning code, are all part of my multi-pronged, regional housing strategy.
See below for a few notable examples of affordable housing success stories:
 |
|
Bretton Woods Apartments
National Church Residences (Currently accepting applications)
A 62-unit mixed-income senior housing community with wraparound supportive services.
|
 |
|
Maple Meadows Apartments
Homeport (Currently accepting applications)
A 56-unit multi-family property offering a variety of apartments of different sizes.
|
 |
|
Starling Yard
Woda Cooper Companies, Inc., Franklinton Development Association (Under construction)
A 45-unit apartment complex at the former site of Starling Middle School.
|
 |
|
Touchstone Field Place
Community Housing Network (Fully occupied)
100 units offering safe, permanent, supportive housing to individuals who struggle with homelessness, mental illness and substance use.
|
 As first vice president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, I was pleased to welcome over 200 of my fellow mayors and city managers to Columbus for our annual meeting. I had the opportunity to learn from my peers and exchange a variety of best practices during our many meaningful discussions. I am particularly proud of the hospitality our community showed our visitors while they were in town, and I am grateful that Columbus continues to remain a top destination for hosting large-scale global events. In fact, our world-renowned hospitality is what brings more than 42 million visitors to our city each year, generating $6.6 billion in direct spend among our local businesses. Let’s keep the momentum going!
|
