Title
Notice/Advertisement Title: Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee Hearing Meeting Minutes
Contact Name: Jessica Clinger
Contact Telephone Number: 614-645-6354
Contact Email Address: jnclinger@columbus.gov
Body
Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee Hearing Minutes
Hosted by Council President Hardin and Councilmember Tiara Ross
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 5:00pm
Call to order: 5:06pm
In attendance: Council President Shannon Hardin, Councilmember Tiara Ross, Development Director Michael Stevens, Deputy Director Erin Prosser, Deputy Director Hannah Jones, Mercedes Wiley, Mark Carter, Carlie Boos, Heather Treanor, Jeremy Heater-Druhot, Stanley Gates, Jyoshu Tsushima.
Housing, Homelessness, and Building Committee Chair Councilmember Tiara Ross welcomes and provided opening remarks. Housing stability and homelessness numbers are increasing and Columbus needs to build more affordable housing. Council President Hardin welcome and introduction. Council President Hardin discussed legislation passed last June which require more transparency and accountability including public reports on priorities, funding plans, set-asides, application process, and scoring.
Development Director Michael Stevens provided introduction and discussed prior bond packages passed by voters.
Deputy Director Prosser provided presentation about challenges of the housing market in Columbus. Discussion of the overall housing strategy. Discussion of mechanics of housing bonds and what they can be used for in affordable housing construction and preservation. Development did community engagement and analysis of the housing market and current needs. Resident incomes are not keeping up with construction costs or current rent levels.
Development suggests subsidy for multi-family housing construction to keep some housing affordable through gap funding. Examples given of Habitat for Humanity and use of landbank properties.
Deputy Director Hannah Jones - Continued presentation related to homelessness crisis. Discussion of challenges of residents who are facing housing instability.
Director Stevens mention attracting higher paying jobs to the region which can help with housing instability.
Deputy Director Prosser mentions priorities for the 2027 bond package priorities such as affordability for multifamily and homeownership opportunities, strategic acquisition, invest in existing infrastructure, public service investments, low income home repair program, investment in non traditional partners such as nonprofit or faith based organizations.
Questions for Councilmembers began.
CP Hardin - What is possible in terms of the bond sale this year due to our financial status?
Auditor Lewis: Auditor office is currently right sizing the bond sale with the Mayor’s administration this year. Looking at interest rates and what the federal reserve may do. My office has not received affordable housing projects for this year.
Director Stevens - My understanding is there were projects in June that were tabled that we set up against the Income Tax Set Aside and were going to re-fill those buckets.
Council President Hardin - We are looking for a more transparent process that residents can follow and newer developers. How do we hold the administration accountable to make sure this process is transparent and accountable?
Director Stevens - We have worked to leverage other dollars through OHFA and LITEC. We grant and gap fill those projects typically. We look at the number of affordable units and average out.
CM Ross- Auditor Lewis, how are you finding out about projects that may need bond funds?
Auditor Lewis: Those projects are the administration’s call but we help to right-size it based on a score-card evaluation. Columbus needs to maintain our AAA bond rating.
CP Hardin - When will the online transparency portal be set up, that Council helped with?
DD Prosser - Should be finalized and useable in the next few weeks.
CM Ross - What is the type of engagement the Department does around this bond package and priorities?
DD Prosser - We engage with stakeholders and discuss priorities with residents. Meetings with community members.
CM Ross - Is this NOFA process this year in June new compared to past years.
DD Prosser - The NOFA is a new process.
CM Ross - Is there criteria or scorecard?
DD Jones - We have not established criteria, 55 applications, evaluating for feasibility. Have not gotten through initial review. We are sensitive not to make commitments until we understand the level of commitments that DOD can make. Have not made any awards to recommendations.
CM Ross - Why did the Department determine $500M as the number for the bond package?
DD Prosser - We looked at the economic conditions and comparison cities.
Director Stevens - Looking at our capital capacity, we thought we could get $100M out of the door for affordable housing.
CM Ross- Is the City look at investing in pre-development costs?
Director Stevens: Innovation bucket because it’s higher risk but protect tax payers.
Public testimony:
Amanda King, Spatialist Partners
Brian Cultice - Transit Columbus
Will Titus - Transit Columbus
Carlie Boos - Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
Director Stevens - Mention ordinance 2326-2026 which renames the Division of Housing to the Division of Housing Opportunities. Help to distinguish between the Division of Housing Stability by clarifying.
CP Hardin - Closing remarks and thank you.
CM Ross - Closing remarks and thank you.
Adjourn at 6:31pm