City of Columbus dedicates federal funding to keep residents housed

Courtesy of Columbus Business First
By Hayleigh Colombo
August 24, 2021

More than two dozen community organizations in Columbus will receive a combined $12.2 million in rental assistance funds to help residents who are struggling to afford housing, city officials announced Tuesday.

The new federal pandemic relief funding will be available to Columbus residents who have not yet received emergency rental assistance, Mayor Andrew Ginther said.

The $12.2 million investment is in addition to $26 million in federal funding that the city of Columbus has already allocated for rental assistance since the start of the pandemic, according to the city.

More than 14,400 Central Ohio renters have received a total of more than $33 million in rental assistance when taking into account resources from the city, county and state.

“Our community has moved swiftly to distribute an unprecedented amount of rental assistance during the pandemic, keeping thousands of our neighbors in their homes,” Ginther said in a statement. “Yet some residents hardest hit by COVID-19, including new Americans, seniors, individuals with disabilities, youth in transition and other vulnerable populations have yet to hear that this funding exists, or how to access it.”

The city is experiencing a housing affordability crisis, advocates have told us. We reported recently that there were 213,000 people in Ohio who couldn’t pay their rent in July.

Ginther said the new funding “will ensure that all Columbus residents have access to the resources they need to remain in safe, stable housing during the pandemic and beyond.”

The funding will go to 26 organizations, with LSS Choices for Victims of Domestic Violence receiving the largest award: $1 million.

Other organizations that were awarded funding include Broad Street Presbyterian Church, which received $873,570 to serve seniors, people with disabilities, immigrants and refugees.