Next, we’ll talk about the affordable housing crisis
Each time a reporter has gone to one of the many news conferences about affordable housing in the past few years, I request that the reporter ask the mayor or others touting affordable housing projects to define what they’re talking about.
What is affordable? That’s in the eye of the beholder, but If the answer is a house that costs $150,000 or more, it’s not necessarily affordable.
U.S. Census Bureau statistics show that more than a third – 36% – of households in the Columbus metro area make less than $50,000 a year.
The under-$50,000 population is the largest income segment, followed by the 32% who make between $50,000 and $100,000. Depending on household size and financial obligations, some of them would struggle to buy a house that costs more than $150,000.
Because of the ongoing population boom in Greater Columbus, it’s only going to get worse if we as a community don’t do something about it right now. That’s why The Dispatch, in partnership with The Columbus Foundation, is presenting a “Columbus Conversation” community forum on the topic on Tuesday.
The Dispatch Columbus Conversation: “Can People Afford to Live Here?” is part of a series of such conversations and will stream live at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 14, on Dispatch.com, as well as its Facebook page. The forum also will be available to view on those platforms following the event.
The free, hour-long discussion will be hosted by Dispatch Opinion and Community Engagement Editor Amelia Robinson.
In short, we have a housing crisis in Greater Columbus.
“This is a health care crisis. This is a social justice crisis,” U.S. Rep. Joyce
Beatty, a Democrat from Columbus, said in November during an event about housing at Trinity Baptist Church on the city’s Near East Side.
As reporter Mark Ferenchik wrote about that event, “despite many efforts — such as Columbus’ $50 million bond package for affordable housing, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther appointing the city’s first assistant director of housing strategies in May, and the work of groups such as the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio — Black leaders from various organizations on (Nov. 11) said numbers indicate the problem of the lack of affordable housing is
worsening.”
Realtor.com, a listing service, predicts Columbus will be the nation’s fifthhottest housing market in 2022. It says home sales and asking prices will grow twice as fast as national rates. And the Mid-ohio Regional Planning Commission, a central Ohio planning agency, projects that the 15-county area will grow to 3 million residents by 2050.
That’s why we need to have sustained conversation – and quick action – to address this problem. Please join the conversation and indicate that you plan to attend the event at bit.ly/dispatchaffordablehousing to receive notification when the event begins.
Panelists for the discussion are Brian E. Higgins, principal, Arch City Development; Erin J. Prosser, assistant director of housing strategies, city of Columbus;
Noel Williams, B.R.E.A.D vice president and chair of the Families 1st and Housing NOW!; Jennifer Noll, principal planner, Mid-ohio Regional Planning Commission; Sidney Childs, chief diversity, inclusion, and equity officer for the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority; and Ann Bischoff, CEO, Star House.
Holiday newspapers
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Mobile Newsroom moves to Driving Park
For the last month, Dispatch reporters Holly Zachariah and Micah Walker have been working from the Columbus Metropolitan Library Karl Road branch in the Northland neighborhood as part of our Mobile Newsroom initiative.
The goal has been to get to know the neighborhood, tell the stories of Northland residents, and build lasting relationships that lead to sustained coverage of a neighborhood that has been under-represented in our coverage.
On Wednesday, we moved the Dispatch Mobile Newsroom to Driving Park and held a kickoff event to introduce ourselves to the neighborhood southeast of Downtown. Reporters Mark Ferenchik and Erica Thompson will set up shop at the library branch at 1422 E. Livingston Ave. beginning Monday.
Please drop by and meet them, talk with them and share your stories. amiller@dispatch.com @dispatcheditor