AHACO February 2020 Newsletter

Around the Alliance: February 2020

Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio News

AHACO selects Carlie Boos as Executive Director

--EJ Thomas, AHACO Chair and

President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity - MidOhio

I am pleased to announce that on February 28, Carlie J. Boos will assume the position of full-time Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Alliance. Carlie brings exceptional skills, experience, and enthusiasm to the job. She is currently a community and economic development attorney at the Columbus Legal Aid Society, following six years in a variety of program and policy positions at the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.

Carlie is ready to hit the ground running: "I am a true believer in the unrivaled power of affordable housing to shape lives and shift economies. I have been awed by the organizations that can take a challenge as daunting as a 54,000-household gap and turn it into an opportunity to build stability, invigorate our neighborhoods, and advocate for Ohio’s most vulnerable. Thank you for granting me the privilege of being your advocate."

Carlie J. Boos

Over the next couple of months, Carlie will be reaching out to Alliance members and partners We are fortunate that she will have the support of Bobbie Garber, who will serve as our Strategic Advisor, over the next few months to assure a smooth transition. We are excited to bring Carlie on board as we fully launch AHACO 2.0!

LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATES

$100 Million Housing Action Fund is Launched

On February 13, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther announced that all investment commitments had been executed to launch the $100 million Housing Action Fund. The fund, which is administered by the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County , will provide below-market financing for affordable housing development. Three Low-Income Housing Tax Credit projects that will produce a total of more than 300 units of rental housing for households with annual incomes of between $25,000 and $40,000 will be the first to access the fund. Fund investors are: Huntington National Bank, Fifth Third Bank, the Columbus Foundation, Heartland Bank, PNC, Nationwide, NiSource, L Brands, Park National Bank, CareSource, First Merchants Bank, First Commonwealth Bank, The Middlefield Banking Company, Ohio Capital Finance Corporation, and the Affordable Housing Trust. The Alliance thanks all of those who have made the fund a reality!

City of Columbus Updates

In his 2020 State of the City address, Mayor Andrew Ginther said: "I believe that housing is one of the greatest challenges facing the city and the region. How we address it now will greatly impact our city’s growth for the next generation." In addition to the Housing Action Fund, he announced a number of affordable housing actions that will take place in 2020: 1) The city will hire a housing executive to lead affordable housing policy functions; 2) Columbus Downtown Development Corporation will build 100 affordable units downtown (more than half affordable for families with income $46,000 or below); 3) $1 million in new funding will be allocated for homelessness prevention; 4) The Land Trust will be expanded into Weinland Park and Milo Grogan; 5) City zoning regulations will be evaluated to identify changes to support increased housing density. Read the Business First article . Read the Dispatch editorial .

Franklin County Updates

Shielding Eviction Records

Beginning in January, eviction records more than three years old no longer appear in Franklin County Municipal Court website searches. More than 400,000 records will be shielded through this process. This removes a key barrier to families with an eviction history finding stable, affordable housing. The Municipal Court is also starting a new process to allow the removal of a particular eviction record from online access, even if it is less than three years old. These new policies are a result of the efforts of the Columbus Women's Commission , Municipal Court Clerk Lori Tyack , Judges Ted Barrows and Mark Hummers, and court magistrates. Read the Dispatch article and editorial .

Affordable Housing Magnet Fund

On January 22, Franklin County Economic Development and Planning staff held stakeholder meetings to discuss the new affordable housing Magnet Fund, which will provide gap financing for 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit rental housing projects. The RFP for the $4 million pilot round will be released in late February, and priority will be given to projects near transit corridors. Funding for the Magnet Fund is from the recent increase in the county real estate conveyance fee.

IN THE KNOW: CENTRAL OHIO AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEWS

12.16.19, Business First: See how a decade of rent growth in Columbus compares to the rest of the country

12.16.19, abc6: Property taxes soaring? Help might be on the way

12.16.19, Business First: From the editor: Heeding cautionary tales on homelessness

12.17.19, Dispatch: Homeless struggle after makeshift camps demolished

12.27.19, Business First: Central Ohio's housing market expected to stay hot in 2020

1.3.20, Columbus Underground: Platform Promises Access to Untapped Supply of Affordable Housing

1.8.20, Business First: M/I Homes saw a surge in demand for housing in 2019

1.13.20, Columbus Dispatch: Construction projects poised to transform central Ohio this year

1.15.20, Dispatch: Hilltop next up on city's priority list

1.23.20, Business First: Columbus' housing stock is worth a lot more since the recession, report finds

1.22.20, Dispatch: Big central Ohio developers in line for opportunity zone tax breaks

1.27.20, Dispatch: Buyers pushed up prices in central Ohio’s affordable neighborhoods in 2019

1.27.20, Business First: What's it going to take for the Central Ohio housing market to even out?

2.2 20, Dispatch: For kids seeking opportunity, Columbus neighborhoods are worlds apart

2.4.20, Business First: Out-of-state real estate investor buys Columbus residential complex

2.5.20, Business First: Why 10 affordable homes in Franklinton represent a new model for the land trust

2.5.20, Business First: Columbus City Council found more money for the 2020 budget – here’s how it's being spent

2.7.20, Business First: M/I Homes plans to ride cheaper homes to growth in 2020

2.14.20, Business First: As downtown Columbus booms, construction firms have the contracts, but not enough skilled workers

2.19.20, Business First: Columbus is one of the country's toughest markets to find a home, report says

2.23.20, Dispatch: Flipped: How gentrification is transforming a South Side street

AHACO MEMBER UPDATES

Welcome new AHACO member: The Community Builders

We are pleased to welcome The Community Builders (TCB) as a new Alliance member. TCB is a leading nonprofit real estate developer that owns or manages more than 11,000 quality apartments across the country. They are experienced in implementing large scale mixed-income neighborhood based strategies to transform distressed areas while retaining the fabric of the community. Their business, infrastructure, and community program investments help make neighborhoods work for people of all incomes. TCB has properties in Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Akron and recently moved their Midwest office to Columbus, where they plan to begin investing in projects.

CMHA Selected for HUD EnVision Center

Columbus is one of 34 cities nationwide to be chosen for an EnVision Center to connect subsidized-housing residents to job, education, health and wellness programs. The local center is housed at a Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority facility at 1407 Cleveland Ave. in South Linden. Read the Dispatch article

Sustainability through Mixed-Income Development

And as city and county officials try to find funding and policy solutions to address the shortage, CMHA is gearing up to expand its own housing portfolio, while continuing to shift its focus to mixed-income housing and away from traditional public housing projects. Read the Next City article

Habitat's Restore on Bethel Road has Opened

Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio’s new ReStore at 2555 Bethel Road in northwest Columbus opened to customers Jan. 29.

The newest ReStore will be the flagship for Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio, said E.J. Thomas, Habitat president and CEO. Money raised from sales of the donated goods at ReStores goes toward the group’s mission of building houses, fixing up properties and helping people with home repairs.

Read the This Week article.

Families Facing Barriers to Overcoming Homelessness

From July 1 to Sept. 30 last year, the Community Shelter Board-funded shelter system hit its highest-ever occupancy rate for families, with nearly 570 served. At the same time, barely a third of families who left shelters achieved a “successful housing outcome,” an all-time low. CSB defines success as families securing housing with a lease in their name, or when homeless youths go back home to their families. Read the Dispatch Article

Homeport Picked to Lead Linden Development

Homeport was selected to lead the development of 100 senior apartments and commercial space and 11 single-family homes that would anchor a new Downtown Linden at Cleveland and Myrtle avenues. Homeport is still seeking financing, including low-income housing tax credits. Construction is to begin in 2021. Read the Dispatch Article

CHN Housing Project Approved Despite Opposition

In Oct. 2019 the YMCA of Central Ohio made the decision to shutter their Downtown building and relocate up to 400 male residents to other city neighborhoods. On Feb. 10, a divided Columbus City Council voted 4-3 for a zoning change needed by Community Housing Network to move 80 chronically homeless and disabled YMCA residents to a facility to be built on 6.28 acres at 2565 Lockbourne Rd. Read the Dispatch article and Shannon Hardin c olumn

Creating a Mixed-Income Community

Reverend John Edgar, Executive Director of Community Development for All People, explains the importance of mixed-income residents to the health and revitalization of the Southside Community, a strategy that can be replicated in other neighborhoods. Read the Dispatch Op-Ed column

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United Way will Support New Poverty Innovation Center

To start implementation of the Rise Together Blueprint for Reducing Poverty , the Franklin County Commissioners are hiring an executive director to head a new poverty innovation center. The center will initially fall under the scope of the United Way of Central Ohio, which will handle payroll, benefits, and other back-office duties. The goal is to have the center become its own organization, with a mix of public and private dollars backing it. Read the Dispatch Article

Federal Home Loan Bank Grants will Fund Projects of Alliance Members

Four Franklin County developments with a total of 194 units of affordable housing were awarded grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati. The $3.2 million in grants will help finance projects for low-income and permanent supportive housing. The projects will be developed by Community Housing Network, Homeport, and the Finance Fund. Read the Business First article.

NEWS and INFORMATION FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Affordable Housing: What is Happening in Ohio and the Nation

Communities are facing affordable housing issues and are taking steps to understand and address housing affordability. Below are recent articles about what is happening in Ohio and across the country:

RENT ASSISTANCE

12.5.19, wbur.org: As Home Prices Soar, Utah Lawmakers Want To Help Low-Income Residents Pay Their Rent

1.13.20, Cleveland.com: To solve our low-income housing crisis, the voucher system must work for landlords too

1.28.20, Next City: Philly and Boston Will Help Some Low-Income Tenants Pay Rent

EVICTION

12.13.19, CITYLAB: The Right to Eviction Counsel Is Gaining Momentum

12.27.19, New York Times: Evictions Are Down in New York. Thank the Voters.

1.5.20, Akron Beacon Journal: Landlords say new rules could actually exacerbate evictions in Akron

HOMELESSNESS

12.20.19, LA Times: In 2019, homelessness truly felt like a crisis in every corner of L.A.

12.21.19, Dispatch: Ohio appeals court overturns part of ban on homeless camps

1.1.20, Washington Post: An Ohio city known for helping the homeless now questions its limits

2.13.20, Vice: Instead of Helping Homeless People, Cities Are Bussing Them Out of Town

2.19.20, San Francisco Chronicle: Housing crisis fix? Proposed state law inspired by homeless Oakland moms aims to fill vacant homes

February 2020, COHHIO: New Ohio School Wellness Fund is an Opportunity to Serve Homeless Students

INCREASING DENSITY AND HOUSING SUPPLY; DEVELOPMENT REGULATION

12.23.19, CITYLAB: With New Democratic Majority, Virginia Sees a Push for Denser Housing

1.3.20, CITYLAB: Denser Housing Is Gaining Traction on America’s East Coast

1.13.20, The Bridge: Nebraska Joins Maryland, Virginia, and Oregon with Proposal to Increase Home Building

1.30.20, CTIYLAB: The Last Days of SB50, California’s Doomed Upzoning Bill

2.6.20, CITYLAB: Raleigh Wants to Raze and Rebuild the Community Meeting

LOCAL HOUSING STUDIES

1.28.20, Lima News: Study pulls no punches on quality of Lima housing

2.5.20, Toledo Blade: Analysis: Affordable, quality housing can be difficult to find in Toledo

FUNDING SOURCES

1.9.20, Dayton Daily News: CareSource uses bank membership to sponsor affordable housing

1.15.20, Dispatch: HUD secretary Ben Carson announces money to help Ohio homeless, but ‘real work’ remains

2.12.20, cleveland.com: Record funding for affordable housing for low-income seniors on the way, HUD announces

February 2020, COHHIO: COHHIO-Anthem Risk Mitigation Fund is keeping local landlords engaged with programs that help end homelessness for people in Northwest Ohio .

Federal Housing Policy and the 2020 Election

Democratic presidential candidates, the Trump administration, and members of Congress have a variety of policy proposals to address housing affordability and the housing market:

11.27.19, Shelterforce: New Writings Suggest Incremental Change is Best Path for CRA Reform

12.12.19, Portman, Bennet Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Tackle the Eviction Crisis

12.16.19, NCRC: Proposed Changes to the Community Reinvestment Act Will Be Disastrous for Low- and Moderate-Income Communities

12.17.19, CITYLAB: Trump’s Plan to Criminalize Homelessness Is Taking Shape

12.20.19, LA Times: Federal homelessness chief has harsh words for California

1.3.20, Washington Post: Ben Carson’s HUD will propose new rule, further weakening enforcement of fair housing laws

1.8.20: CITYLAB: As Trump Ditches a Fair Housing Rule, New York City Doubles Down

1.25.20, Politico: Trump moves to gut Obama housing discrimination rules

2.12.20, Washington Post: A timely, simple idea to boost affordable housing

2.20.20, Politico: White House slams big cities on housing, sees GDP growth below 2.5 percent

2.26.20: Does Joe Biden Have a Plan to Stop Gentrification?

Segregation, Income Inequality, and Housing

Housing patterns, housing affordability, and real estate ownership are linked with issues of segregation, income inequality, race, and poverty, as examined in these articles:

12.23.19, Black, Homeless and Burdened by L.A.’s Legacy of Racism

1.31.20, NPR: Racist Housing Practices From The 1930s Linked To Hotter Neighborhoods Today .

Food for Thought: Research and Commentary on Housing Trends and Issues

These articles, research, and resources address issues and trends that impact housing affordability and innovative ways to address the affordable housing crisis:

12.13.19, New York Times: Many Renters Who Face Eviction Owe Less Than $600

1.13.20, PBS News Hour: The hidden health costs of eviction

2.7.20, The Atlantic: The Great Affordability Crisis Breaking America

2.18.20, Business First: A luxury apartment rises in a poor neighborhood. What happens next?

2.21.20, CITYLAB: How to Make a Housing Crisis

How to Contribute to the Alliance

With your financial support, we are working to cut the Franklin County affordable housing gap, which will make our community the best it can be. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3), and contributions are tax deductible. Checks can be made payable to: Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, 175 South Third Street, Suite 1060, Columbus, OH 43215. For more information contact Carlie Boos at carlie@ahaco.org.

To learn more, see the AHACO affordable housing research report on our website: The Columbus and Franklin County Affordable Housing Challenge: Needs, Resources, and Funding Models.

The members of the Affordable Housing Alliance are organizations that have as a principal mission or function to develop, improve, provide, or fund affordable housing for low-income households in central Ohio. Members are committed to working together to engage with community, policy, and business leaders to advocate for affordable housing solutions in central Ohio.

AHACO Members

• The Columbus Foundation

• Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority

• Community Development for All People

• Community Housing Network

• Community Shelter Board

• Creative Housing

• Finance Fund Capital Corporation

• Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio

• Homeport

• Homes on the Hill

• National Church Residences

• National Affordable Housing Trust

• The NRP Group

• Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing

• Preservation of Affordable Housing

• The Community Builders

• United Way of Central Ohio

• Wallick Communities

• Woda Cooper Companies

• YMCA of Central Ohio

• YWCA Columbus