Title
Notice/Advertisement Title: Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee Affordable Housing Bond Hearing Minutes
Contact Name: Jessica Clinger
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-6354
Contact Email Address: jnclinger@columbus.gov
Body
Columbus City Council
Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee Hearing Minutes
Hosted by Council President Hardin and Chair Tiara Ross: Poindexter Village
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 4pm
Call to order: 4:05pm
Present: Council President Shannon Hardin, Chair Councilmember Tiara Ross, Councilmember Nick Bankston, Deputy Director of Development Erin Prosser, Mario Dovell, Mark Carter, and Jessica Clinger.
Introduction and welcome to hearing: Council President Shannon Hardin
Opening remarks - Councilmember Tiara Ross
Opening remarks - Councilmember Nick Bankson
Welcome: Robert Bitzenhofer, VP of Planning and Development, CMHA
Presentation - Department of Development: Deputy Director Erin Prosser
Questions by Council President for Deputy Director Prosser about transparency, openness of process, criteria of evaluation of bond dollars, and future framework.
Questions by Councilmember Ross about how new and smaller developers engage in the process and find out about opportunities.
Questions from Councilmember Bankston about eligibility of bond dollars for certain projects.
Presentation - Paul Williams, Executive Director, Center for Public Enterprise
Question by Council President about examples from other cities and states. Question about how quickly the funds revolve.
Affordable Housing Bond Survey Results - Council Staff, Jessica Clinger
- Over 500 survey participants from January and February 2026. High level results show desire for deeper affordability and focus on more housing types.
Invited Speakers and Remarks:
o Carlie Boos, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
o Ian Labitue, CEO, Affordable Housing Trust
o Jeff Beam, Executive VP, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
o Kimberly Sharpe,...
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