The House Finance Committee released their version of the state budget on April Fools Day, but Statehouse leaders aren’t joking. Their budget plan would effectively eliminate the Ohio Housing Trust Fund – the primary source of state funding for local homelessness and affordable housing programs.

Gutting the state Housing Trust Fund makes no sense, especially at a time when rents are increasing along with rates of eviction and homelessness. We need your help fighting this destructive budget amendment!

Please take a moment now to call and email members of the House Finance Committee and urge them to restore the Ohio Housing Trust Fund!

The key members are Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima), Finance Chair Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), Finance Vice Chair Mike Dovilla (R-Berea), Rep. Jim Hoops (R-Napoleon), Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton), Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville), and Rep. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell).

Here are some talking points to highlight in your communications with legislators:

  • Please remove an amendment in the House’s budget that would defund the Ohio Housing Trust Fund, the primary source of state funding for housing and homelessness services.
  • This amendment will hinder Ohio’s efforts to fix the affordable housing crisis and will cause more homelessness in our community.
  • The Housing Trust Fund ensures these dollars leverage additional private and federal funds to maximize investment and minimize administrative costs.
  • Requiring counties to administer these funds means creating new layers of bureaucracy and will greatly diminish the state’s return on investment.

The House is scheduled to vote on this budget plan soon, so please don’t delay – contact your members by Friday! Legislators need to hear loud and clear that the OHTF helps fight homelessness and expand affordable housing in their districts.

See COHHIO’s OHTF web page for more information about how the Housing Trust Fund supports local homelessness, home repair, and affordable housing initiatives in communities throughout Ohio. And please contact Advocacy and Policy Coordinator Elizabeth Marti​ndale if you have any questions about contacting your member, and any updates you may have after speaking with them.

Thank you,

The COHHIO Team