2023 Housing Initiatives

Columbus is facing an affordable housing crisis, one that is only set to worsen as our population increases over the coming decades. As such, City Council has set forth to address the lack of affordable housing through a suite of policy proposals. Our goal is threefold:

  • Invest in our city through the sustainable development of new affordable housing units
  • Preserve our current housing stock, and ensure the housing market is
  • Inclusive of all peoples, regardless of socio-economic status. 

Investment

Retaliatory Action (Ordinance 1156-2023) - Passed April 24, 2023
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
Retaliatory Action legislation aims to protect renters by empowering them to stand up for their rental rights without having to fear retaliation from landlords. This ordinance strengthened and clarified language from the legislation which was passed in 2018.

Homeownership Opportunities (Ordinance 2146-2023) - Passed July 31, 2023
Councilmember Barroso de Padilla
Contact: jicaceres@columbus.gov, Jessica Caceres
Creating generational wealth has been an uphill battle for communities that have been disenfranchised or redlined. This initiative will lead to partnerships with providers focusing on housing assistance and making homeownership more attainable.

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Pilot Program - Passage TBD
Councilmember Remy
Contact: ajtownsend@columbus.gov, Averi Townsend
This program will focus on the creation of affordable accessory dwelling units on lots that currently house one single-unit dwelling. Adding an ADU doubles the amount of housing units at a low cost to the primary landowner.

Preservation

Wholesaler Regulation - Passage TBD
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
This legislation would create licensed regulations similar to that of a realtor to prevent predatory practices.

Vacant and Foreclosure Registry (Ordinance 1995-2024 and Ordinance 1997-2024)  - Passed July 15, 2024
Council President Pro Tem Dorans
Contact: kbmccain@columbus.gov, Kevin Mccain
A registry would give the ability to have up-to-date contact information for the owners of foreclosed or vacant properties and legally hold property owners responsible for leaving abandoned properties in disrepair.

Owner/Occupied Initiative Program (Ordinance 2156-2023) - Passed July 31, 2023
Councilmember Brown
Contact: tzemene@columbus.gov, Tigist Zemene
This program will expand home repair grants to homeowners to include roof repairs. Home repairs, especially roof repairs pose significant hurdles for seniors to be able to age in place.

Inclusion

Pay to Stay (Ordinance 2109-2023) - Passed July 31, 2023
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
This legislation would allow residents time to secure rental assistance dollars up until a court judgment.

Legal Representation at Eviction Court (Ordinance 2089-2023) - Passed July 31, 2023
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
In 2022, Council legislated $1.5M to create a more robust legal representation team at eviction court. Currently the demand for representation exceeds the supply of legal aid attorneys. This initiative will fund an additional year of work.

Third Party Payments (Ordinance 2108-2023) - Passed July 31, 2023
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
Legislation would require landlords to accept a third party payment on behalf of a tenant if that tenant is not in breach of their rental agreement.

Rent Increase Notification - Passage TBD
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
Legislation would require that tenants receive at least a 180-day notice of monthly price increase upon lease renewal.

Columbus Rental Registry - Passage TBD
Councilmember Bankston
Contact: jbdorval@columbus.gov, Jean-Philippe Dorval
A Rental Registration Program will protect the wellbeing of our residents and encourage both owners and occupants to maintain and improve the quality of rental housing. With the collection of a rental registration fee, millions of dollars will be generated and used for rental assistance, thus providing an "insurance policy" for landlords.

Office of Fair Housing - Passage TBD
Councilmember Favor
Contact: snjindal@columbus.gov, Sundeepti Jindal
Legislation would create a robust fair housing office to hold landlords/property owners accountable and to protect the rights of tenants.

Engagement Opportunities

We value public input and hope that this legislation sparks a new conversation within Columbus as to how we can address our looming crisis in a beneficial manner for the many communities that call this city home. As such, these policies are not set-in-stone; they are a starting point in a dialogue between council and the public. We are excited to engage with all of our constituents to solicit feedback and build upon these proposals. Each Councilmember will be leading a policy initiative in collaboration with the rest of the City Council Team. This is a collaborative effort, not just amongst those at City Hall, but with the entire Columbus Community.

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