Neighborhood conversations
Regionomics.
The number on many minds in City Hall last year was 143, a record- breaking number of homicides that seemed to defy other trends. Fewer violent crimes were reported last year across every other category, according to Columbus police.
The Rev. Frederick LaMarr, pastor of Family Missionary Baptist Church, said he’s optimistic about Ginther’s new safety plan to address escalating violence and mistrust of the police, but he also said the black community has to take responsibility for improving relations with the officers.
“In pockets, it’s getting better. There has to be a meeting of the minds,” he said. “I think there has to be an honest dialogue where people are opening up with their insecurities and say, ' here are the issues we have.' ”
Gangs and drugs fuel the violence. Unintentional overdose deaths have risen every year since 2012 in Franklin County, peaking last year at 343. Those who can’t find employment elsewhere can turn to selling drugs to support themselves and their families, LaMarr said.
In some neighborhoods, infant mortality is disproportionately high. Ginther has vowed to drastically cut the rate of infants dying before their first birthdays, but the problem has proved stubborn. The number of infant deaths in Franklin County increased during the mayor's first year in office to 165, but it dipped in 2017 to 155, according to preliminary data from Columbus Public Health.
“I do believe the effort to enhance the life of a newborn is really something that we’re looking at as a community,” said Tim Kauffman, a spokesman for the March of Dimes. “It is an indicator of quality of life and it’s being addressed here in the city.”
Most economic indicators show that Columbus is a vibrant, growing city. The unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in November and hasn’t been higher than 5 percent in three years. The median annual household income in the city was $49,602 in 2016, up 13 percent from 2012, according to the U.S. Census
Rather than have one State of the City speech, Mayor Andrew J. Ginther will hold five events to discuss issues concerning residents. Ginther will speak at each event and moderate panels. Attendees must reserve seats at columbus.gov/SOC2018. All events will be at 6 p.m. on these days:
■ Wednesday — Reeb Avenue Center, 280 Reeb Ave. — Public safety and neighborhoods
■ Feb. 13 — J. Ashburn Jr. Boys & Girls Club, 85 Clarendon Ave. — CelebrateOne (lowering infant mortality); public health; opioid addiction
■ Feb. 21 — Linden Recreation Center, 1254 Briarwood Ave. — Recreation and parks; pre-kindergarten education
■ Feb. 22 — King Arts Complex, 867 Mount Vernon Ave. — Diversity and inclusion; Columbus Women’s Commission
■ March 6 — Milo-Grogan Recreation Center, 862 E. 2nd Ave. — Shared prosperity; mobility Bureau, though experts have said wages are stagnant.
One in five Columbus residents still lives in poverty, but that is improving, Census data show.
“You have the haves and have-nots, and a whole lot of people in between,” said Michael Aaron, a Driving Park community leader.
Columbus’ job market can be insulated from downturns because its service- oriented industries such as health care and insurance remain stable, said Ben Ayers, an economist with Nationwide. The labor market helps drive a thriving housing market, where prices have been rising for about four years, he said.
The median sale price of a Columbus home has risen from $115,000 in 2013 to $ 156,000 in 2017.
“It’s still a relatively affordable market to live in,” Ayers said. “I think that makes it an attractive choice for people coming from other areas.”
The share of households in Columbus that spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing is better than the national average, but many households still are cost- burdened, LaFayette said.
Any population spike could exacerbate affordability problems, driving rents higher, he said. That could happen if Columbus lands the Amazon development for which it is one of 20 finalists.
By most accounts, Amazon’s decision will hinge at least in part on a city’s ability to transport workers. Commuting in Columbus is faster than in other cities, but the city is still car- centric. That can create havoc when snow and ice coat the streets and potholes crack open.
“The one knock that we got is that we really don’t have a transportation system that can move large groups of people around the region,” said Paul Carringer, a Sharon Heights community leader.
LaFayette said transportation problems will only get worse as the city grows. Right now, the 25.2- minute average commute the Census calculates for those driving to jobs in Columbus might be tolerable, but it could climb higher without better alternatives as the population grows.
“As we continue to grow, we’re going to have to keep managing the traffic flow well," he said. "That could have serious negative consequences for our quality of life.”