Columbus, Ohio’s exploding population growth and strong economy are reflected in a red-hot housing market. Each weekend, open house signs dominate intersection corners. It is hard to miss big splashy billboards announcing new market-rate apartment complexes along our major I-70 and I-71 corridors. Last spring, Realtor.com named Columbus as the fourth-hottest housing market in the country. The bad news is our housing supply is not keeping up with demand. In fact, the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio notes that by 2050, when we’ll have a predicted 500,000 new jobs and 1 million new residents, a general housing shortfall of 43 percent will occur if we continue on our current building rate of 8,000 new units per year. We need 14,000 units for all incomes per year to keep up. Affordable housing gap An affordable housing crisis runs even deeper. Columbus’ booming housing market widens the gap for residents seeking affordable, safe and decent homes. Low- and moderate-income working families desperately need greater access to affordable housing near our city’s job centers. Service jobs abound in and around the city core, but most of our urban neighborhoods are quickly gentrifying, and rents have spiked due to their appeal to higher …
