Council Talks Affordable Housing at “Give Me Shelter” Event
Keeping
families in their homes and providing safe, affordable housing continues to be
a priority for Councilmember Jaiza Page. During the “Give Me Shelter” event
on Wednesday, August 29, Noon – 1:15pm, at The Boat House at Confluence Park,
679 W. Spring St., Councilmember Page will discuss Council’s new, historic
policy that encourages developers to build more affordable housing.
“Affordable
housing is critical to the foundation of a healthy, inclusive city,” said
Councilmember Page. “Implementing our new incentive policy while also
addressing the issues surrounding eviction and vacant properties helps to
ensure we are putting measures in place for all of our residents to thrive in Columbus."
Councilmember
Page chairs the Housing, and Economic Development and Small Business
committees.
The
new residential incentive policy makes significant changes to support
affordable, mixed-income neighborhoods in the City’s existing post-1994 Community
Reinvestment Areas. Neighborhoods will be placed into one of three categories
based on the following criteria: population growth, median household income
growth, poverty rate, growth in median rent, housing vacancy rate and mortgage
foreclosure rate.
Additionally,
in Franklin County, nearly 18,000 eviction notices are filed each year making
the eviction court the busiest in the state. Staggering statistics such as
this, led Councilmember Page to partner with the County and the Ohio State
University to commission a study. The goals of the study are to research the
underlying causes of eviction through interviews with landlords and tenants and
create policy recommendations that can positively change the eviction outcomes
in the City.
Councilmember
Page, along with The Legal Aid Society of Columbus and Columbus Next
Generation, also hosted eviction workshops earlier this year which covered
topics including eviction notices, available rental assistance program(s),
tenant rights, landlord responsibilities and escrow services.
The
panel discussion during this event provides an opportunity for participants and
the audience to explore how to create opportunity within Columbus and address
the shortage of affordable housing.
The host and panel members include:
- Jane Scott, president
and CEO, Columbus Metropolitan Club
- Kermit Whitfield, presiding
officer, Columbus Metropolitan Club
- Rachel Garshick Kleit,
PhD, associate dean, OSU School of Engineering and committee chair of Move
to PROSPER
- Jaiza Page, councilmember,
Columbus City Council
- Michael Outrich,
social researcher, GIS specialist, Kirwan Institute for the Study of
Race and Ethnicity
- E.J. Thomas,
president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity MidOhio (host)
For
more information visit: http://www.columbusmetroclub.org/event-3031239
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