Mayor Ginther Announces New Leadership Position, $10 Million Investment and Other Initiatives to Expand Support for Affording Housing in Columbus
Columbus Mayor Andrew J. Ginther today joined civic and
business leaders to announce Erin Prosser as the City’s first-ever assistant
director of housing strategies. The new position comes after a months-long
national search and will help to lead the City’s efforts to address the lack of
affordable housing, encourage the development of mixed-income neighborhoods and
coordinate with community leaders to build a more inclusive and equitable
Columbus.
“This is an important moment for all of our neighborhoods as
we take significant and meaningful steps toward increasing the availability of
affordable housing and generating the kind of growth that is dynamic, equitable
and responsive to the needs of our residents," said Mayor Ginther. “I am
delighted to welcome Erin onboard to help us lead this work, and I look forward
to seeing the ways in which her experience and expertise will expand
opportunity and uplift our community.”
Prosser brings to her role with the City nearly two decades
of public- and private-sector experience leading the planning, development and
engagement for numerous high-profile projects. She most recently served as the
director of community development in the Department of Planning, Architecture
and Real Estate at The Ohio State University, where she oversaw the
revitalization of Weinland Park – including the addition of nearly 500
affordable housing units – and the 7.5-acre redevelopment of the 15th Avenue
and High Street intersection.
Prior to her time with the university, she worked as a planner
and project manager at MKSK Studios, a multi-disciplinary design and planning
firm, and served as a planner for Franklin County’s Economic and Planning
Department. She holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Ohio
State and a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University.
“Central Ohio is at a critical inflexion point, and the city
we become will depend on the decisions and policies we implement now and in the
coming years," Prosser said. "Affordable housing is a passion for me.
I am excited to join this all-hands-on-deck undertaking to create and grow
diverse, thriving and sustainable communities across Columbus.”
Mayor Ginther also announced a $10 million investment in the
City’s affordable housing initiatives. This investment will be included in the
Capital Budget to be unveiled later this spring and makes available substantial
funding for the creation, renovation and expansion of projects city-wide, such
as the 60 new affordable residential units at Jenkins Street Lofts on the
City’s South Side – the site of today’s announcement.
In addition to the $10 million investment, Mayor Ginther
announced two new initiatives that further support a more vibrant and inclusive
Columbus:
- Renter’s Choice: Upfront move-in expenses, such
as lump-sum security deposits, are often cited as a significant barrier to
entry for those seeking to change or improve their housing. Security-deposit
insurance is an alternative designed to help address this expense, and is
already utilized by many Columbus tenants. However, a tenant only has access to
this option if their landlord chooses to offer it. Renter’s Choice will ensure
that every tenant, regardless of their landlord, is informed of and has access
to all of the options available to them – including deposit payment plans –
when signing a rental agreement.
- Foreclosure Registry: This program helps to
avoid and reduce blight, public nuisances and resident concerns – as well as
maintain and increase local property values – by creating a centralized,
up-to-date foreclosure database that better enables enforcement officers and
the City Attorney to secure, maintain and return vacant properties to a
productive use. Revenue generated from the required registration of affected
properties will be diverted to homebuyer-counseling and foreclosure-prevention
partners to help keep more Columbus families in their homes.
These new measures advance Mayor Ginther’s previous call to
cut the number of residents paying 50% or more for housing in half by 2030 –
supporting at least 27,000 people. The City’s Building and Zoning Department is
also continuing its work to update the City’s zoning codes and better
facilitate the development and growth of mixed-income neighborhoods.