Columbus City Council Approves Nearly $9M in Funding to Address the City’s Housing Crisis
City of Columbus, Ohio sent this bulletin at 07/31/2023 08:15 PM EDT
Columbus City Council Approves Nearly $9M in Funding to Address the City’s Housing Crisis
For Immediate Release
July 31, 2023
Columbus, OH -- Tonight, Columbus City Council approved eight pieces of legislation and nearly $9 million aimed at combatting our City’s looming housing crisis. Back in March, Council announced the rollout of the 2023 Housing Initiatives to invest in the new development of quality and affordable units, the preservation of the current housing stock, and the inclusion of all Columbus residents. You can watch that announcement here.
Led by Housing Committee chair, Councilmember Shayla Favor, Council has passed 6 of 12 initiatives so far this year.
Ordinance 1156-2023 (Retaliatory Action): This ordinance is intended to update and clarify the retaliatory eviction criminal code section for the City of Columbus. Although the City of Columbus has a process in place for investigating retaliatory evictions, under the existing law, any reason that the landlord proffers to justify the action taken against the tenant can serve as a defense. Under the proposed change, the court would ultimately decide if the proffered reason is a valid defense.
Ordinance 2089-2023 (Legal Representation): To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a not-for-profit service agreement with the Legal Aid Society of Columbus in an amount up to $1,500,000.00 in support of the Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP) to provide legal representation to residents facing an eviction.
Ordinance 2108-2023 (Third Party Payment): To amend Chapters 4501 and 4551 of the Columbus City Codes to ensure that no operator shall refuse to accept tender on behalf of a tenant on the basis that the tender was proffered by a person other than the tenant.
Ordinance 2109-2023 (Pay to Stay): To amend Chapter 4551 of the Columbus City Codes to ensure that occupants in residential rental properties are afforded the right to assert tender of rent as an affirmative defense to an eviction action filed on the basis of nonpayment of rent.
Ordinance 2146-2023 (Homeownership): This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a grant agreement in an amount up to $350,000.00 with Columbus Housing Partnership Inc, dba Homeport, in support of the Homeownership fund which will provide targeted down payment assistance and housing counseling services.
Ordinance 2156-2023 (Owner/Occupied Initiative): This ordinance modifies the service agreement with Columbus Next Generation Corporation originally authorized by ordinance 1268-2021 and modified by ordinances 3315-2021 and 2279-2022 for administration of the program providing exterior home repair to address code violations.
“Housing cannot merely be a privilege afforded to a lucky few; it is a fundamental human right and needs to be treated as such,” said Councilmember Shayla Favor. “The principle of housing as a human right implies that governments and societies have an obligation to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, habitable, and secure housing. This includes protecting individuals from arbitrary evictions, preventing homelessness, and addressing housing discrimination. Tonight we took a huge step towards actualizing that principle. ”
In addition to the housing initiatives, Council also approved $1.25 million to fund Homeport’s affordable Easton Place Homes project. The total city commitment is $6 million over three phases and will result in a total of 200 affordable units. All units will be rented at 30% - 60% Area Median Income with 1, 2, and 3 bedroom options. $4.4 million of Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA 2) program funds was approved for numerous nonprofit social service agencies to support housing resource specialists who are helping residents through the emergency rental assistance application.
While these policies alone will not solve our crisis, they are a crucial step toward addressing our housing needs. Residents experiencing housing instability or in need of assistance with rent payment can visit www.rentful614.com to learn more about available resources.
