Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and other community leaders laid out plans Wednesday for the city's $500 million affordable housing bond package that voters approved in November as part of a $1.9 billion bond package.
At a press event at the Edna, a restored building on East Long Street on the Near East Side, Ginther said $125 million of the funds will go toward improving the shelter system, making improvements for low-income homeowners and reinvesting in existing affordable housing.
"We'll both prevent displacement and loss of housing to keep people out of the shelter system in the first place, and improve supportive housing options for those who do fall into the system," Ginther said.
Another $175 million will go toward acquiring land and building denser housing to create more economic diversity in neighborhoods.
Ian Labitue, president and CEO of the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County, said bringing all families closer to community services, such as child care, workforce development and health care, is important.
"Because a home alone is just not enough," Labitue said. Families need and deserve the infrastructure that allows them not just to live, but to thrive and to move forward. That is economic mobility."
The city said $150 million will help build and preserve affordable housing, including helping with financing for income-restricted affordable rental units and reinvesting in current homes.
A total of $50 million will go toward reducing development costs and public-private partnerships.
Columbus City Council is holding a public hearing Thursday at 4 p.m. at Poindexter Village, located at 211 N. Champion Ave. on the Near East Side.
Voters also approved affordable housing bond packages of $50 million in 2019 and $200 million in 2022.
City officials said those funds helped create or preserve more than 6,000 affordable rental units, nearly 700 permanent supportive housing units and 280 affordable homeownership units and more than $7 million for emergency home repairs.
