FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Contact: Curtiss L. Williams, Sr., President/CEO COCIC
The Franklin County Land Bank (614) 724-4938 cwilliams@cocic.org
Joseph L. Barnes, Sr., Mayor, Village of Urbancrest
(614) 875-1279 urbancrest@sbcglobal.net
(Village of Urbancrest)—COCIC, The Franklin County Land Bank, held a ground breaking ceremony in the Village of Urbancrest today with Franklin County Commissioner, Erica C. Crawley, Franklin County Treasurer, Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, and Mayor of Urbancrest, Joseph L. Barnes, Sr. to announce the first Central Ohio Community Land Trust project in Franklin County, outside of the City of Columbus proper. This development in the Village of Urbancrest will see the construction of eight (8) affordable, community land trust homes that will be sold to low to moderate income residents.
“Tackling the issue of affordable housing is a priority for our Village as we try to preserve our community and reduce homeownership barriers. This type of partnership with our local government agencies and the private entities reflects our community values and vision for the Village of Urbancrest”, said the Mayor of Urbancrest, Joseph L. Barnes, Sr.
The Central Ohio Community Land Trust was launched by COCIC, the Franklin County Land Bank in early 2019. “The Franklin County Treasurer’s Office remains steadfast in its support of the Franklin County Land Bank and its subsidiary, the Central Ohio Community Land Trust, said Franklin County Treasurer Cheryl Brooks Sullivan, who chairs the Franklin County Land Bank. “We need to ensure access to affordable housing, reduce barriers to affordable housing development, and promote housing stability for Franklin County residents.”
In April 2020, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing an agreement with the Central Ohio Community Land Trust to conduct affordable housing development activities on behalf of the Franklin County Board of Commissioners with a commitment of $2.375 million.
“The Board of Commissioners prioritizes the development of affordable housing to challenge housing disinvestment and racial inequity and it keeps striving to build more equitable communities in Franklin County” said Franklin County Commissioner, Erica C. Crawley.
The construction phase by Rockford Construction, Inc. will begin this fall with homes completed in early 2022. The Montrose Foundation, committed to housing and education equality, will provide down payment assistance for each COCLT homeowner in the Village of Urbancrest. “Thanks to a strong collaborative effort, we are witnessing more push for investment from our local governments, as well as private donors on this very important issue of closing the affordability and racial homeownership gaps throughout Franklin County, said, COCIC President and CEO, Curtiss Williams, Sr.
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