BREAD driven by need for affordable housing
On May 6, I witnessed something miraculous. Without a partisan political agenda or a featured celebrity, 2,600 diverse Franklin County residents gathered at the Celeste Center. We came to the BREAD Nehemiah Action to call on city and county leaders to address the affordable-housing crisis in Franklin County. More than 54,000 low-income households are paying 50% or more of their income on housing. This is neither acceptable nor sustainable for any low-income family.
When I asked attendees to stand if they or someone they knew or loved was affected by the housing crisis, at least 95% of the 2,600 people stood. That is more than 2,470 people in one room alone being hit by this crisis. This is alarming and frightening.
Unfortunately, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners chose to ignore this meeting and our call for working together to address this crisis. Last Tuesday, the Rev. Charles Leister addressed the commissioners about their refusal to attend the event and urged them to increase the conveyance fee, which is fee added to property sales. This action could guarantee nearly $14 million in additional support for the Housing Trust Fund to do its excellent work with lowincome people.
This request comes after over 18 months of research and closely studying a report on the crisis from the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio.
But Commissioner Marilyn Brown interrupted Leister’s comments, chastising him for criticizing their absence and preventing him from having the full three minutes allowed for public comment. Then, Commissioner John O’grady told Pastor Leister, “You bully elected officials.” He used the word “bullies” 10 times during his tonguelashing of Leister and BREAD. Leister stood quietly and absorbed the castigation — all 20-plus minutes of which was recorded by the public access channel and recorded by others in the room.
How is it “bullying” for citizens to research an issue, propose a solution, offer to work with elected officials and keep asking when those officials repeatedly ignore the public request? BREAD has done so resolutely, but always respectfully because thousands of our members are impacted by the lack of affordable housing in this county.
The definition of “bullying” is “intimidating or threatening those who are vulnerable.” Bullying is a problem. No question. By definition, our elected city and county officials are not being bullied. Rather, they are being challenged directly and respectfully to offer a plan for this crisis.
“Bullying” is indeed happening in Franklin County to men, women, and children who are forced into poor housing or onto the streets with no housing. They are vulnerable and threatened every day with insecurity and unsafe living conditions. In these conditions, children suffer the most.
Our research revealed that children who are homeless and poor are most likely to be bullied because of their vulnerability. Those in power intimidate poor people in their vulnerability.
BREAD understands that increasing the conveyance fee is not the ultimate solution to the housing crisis. After all, this is a $1 billion problem. But increasing the fee from $2 to the maximum $4 permitted by state law and sending that funding to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund would help thousands of additional families access affordable housing. By increasing the fee, Franklin County would join 76 of 88 Ohio counties at the $4 rate.
We are sure that studies underway by the city and county will lead to more solutions. We have been told that the county is preparing to release a report with “tens of millions of dollars” dedicated to this purpose. Even with that, increasing the conveyance fee is a win-win.
As BREAD leaders, my colleagues and I have had plenty of experience in interacting with unwilling officials. Through it all, we have demonstrated the ability to persuade those officials to do many of the things that our community needs. On this campaign, we will not be deterred and will continue to push for housing solutions.
For its legitimacy, government depends on the consent of the population. The relationship is more than a matter of elections. Effective government requires ongoing participation of citizens. That is what BREAD is doing. We will continue to press for solutions.
We all agree there is an affordable-housing crisis. The real miracle will come when citizens and elected leaders unite to solve this problem. I believe in miracles and look forward to this day.