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Sept. 1, 2026
Congress is back in session this week to pass stop-gap legislation needed to postpone another government shutdown as the U.S. House takes up a Senate-passed bill to fund the government from Sept. 30 to Dec. 11.
The Continuing Resolution leaves funding levels for federal housing and homelessness programs largely unchanged until after the fall election. We'll keep you informed so you can advocate effectively in the next appropriations process.
On Oct. 21, the National Coalition for the Homeless is organizing the Housing Now National Day of Action. We're thrilled to have Executive Director Donald Whitehead join a special 30 at 3:00 Policy Briefing next week on Sept. 8 to share ways Ohio advocates can get engaged. (Note: This is a new date in the 30 at 3:00 webinar series - if you're already registered just use the same link as usual. If you're not registered yet, you're missing out! Register for 30 at 3:00.)
As for HUD's efforts to overhaul the Continuum of Care program, a federal court recently ruled HUD’s FY 2026 CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) was illegal. HUD has filed an appeal, so we're currently waiting to see what happens next. There's a lot riding on this case since HUD's plans could have defunded supportive housing for up to 7,500 formerly homeless households in Ohio, forcing people with disabilities back into homelessness. We're watching this issue very closely and will let you know as soon as we hear something new.
Another recent federal rule change proposal seeks to dramatically alter Community Reinvestment Act regulations on how banks serve low and moderate income communities. The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition is warning that the proposal could significantly reduce banks' investment in affordable housing, and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition says it could negatively impact communities and nonprofits in a variety of other ways. Join 30 at 3:00 on Sept. 22 to hear NCRC President & CEO Jesse Van Tol discuss how you can advocate through the public comment period, which runs through Oct. 13.
The Continuing Resolution to fund the government that is before Congress this week contains a provision that would delay implementation of the Office of Management and Budget's controversial rule, which would overhaul federal grantmaking and allow the administration to withdraw any grant it deems inconsistent with the president's priorities.
Here in Ohio, the General Election season is heating up. The Cook Political Report currently rates both Ohio's gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races "toss ups." Housing affordability has emerged as a major issue for all the campaigns. We've been meeting with candidates from both parties to discuss ways to address housing insecurity, and we encourage you to do the same!
Statehouse Advocacy Day 2026 is coming up on Oct. 7 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This is your opportunity to meet face-to-face with your legislators and tell them what they need to know about homelessness and housing insecurity in your community. We make it easy for you - we'll group you with advocates from your community, train you how to advocate, schedule your meetings, and even feed you free breakfast and lunch. Please join us!
Here are a few other things to put on your radar:
Thanks for reading and we hope to see you on Advocacy Day Oct. 7!
| Federal funding for local homeless services delayed, but not enough to need gap funding
(WVXU) CINCINNATI - Federal funding for local homeless services came in sooner than expected, but still a month and a half late. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds the Continuum of Care program with services like permanent supportive housing, street outreach and rapid re-housing. The latest round of grant funding was due July 1. The nonprofit Strategies to End Homelessness administers the program locally. President Kevin Finn says delays are common, but they expected it to be longer this year; that's why they went to the city and county for help. |
| Proposed CRA Changes Raise Alarms for Affordable Housing Industry
(Affordable Housing Finance) Affordable housing leaders are concerned that proposed rule changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) will weaken bank requirements to invest in low-income communities. The proposal calls for raising the asset thresholds under CRA, which could lead to a number of banks significantly reducing their lending and investing in low-income communities. This is troubling because CRA has been the main driver of bank investment into the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and other community development programs. |
| Rents rising faster than wages in Ohio
(Athens Messenger) The gap between what Ohioans earn and how much they need to pay for a two-bedroom apartment is most pronounced in regions such as Southeast Ohio, where there’s a limited supply of affordable housing. In the 2026 Out of Reach report, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) found Ohioans have to earn $23.82 an hour to comfortably afford a two-bedroom apartment... However, the average renter wage in Ohio earns $19.59 an hour, $4.23 less than what the 2026 Out of Reach report found was necessary. The numbers are even bleaker in Athens County. |
| Canton roundtable highlights growing housing struggles in the region
(Canton Repository) Riegel, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, said finding affordable housing is a lot like playing a game of musical chairs. For every 100 extremely low-income individuals looking for housing in Ohio, only 37 will be successful in finding it, according to a recent report released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. That shortage, its causes and consequences, were among topics discussed during an Aug. 20 roundtable co-hosted by COHHIO and U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron. Local leaders examined challenges in Stark County and potential solutions. |
| Husted Visits Northeast Ohio to Highlight Job Training, Affordable Housing
(WOWO Cleveland) U.S. Senator Jon Husted is highlighting workforce training and affordable housing efforts during a visit to northeast Ohio... Husted is also working on several housing initiatives in the U.S. Senate. One proposal, the First-Time Homebuyers Act, would allow Americans more flexibility to use existing 529 education savings for a first-time home purchase. Husted is also supporting permitting reform, which he says could help increase the housing supply and reduce construction costs. |
| ‘Ohio’s become incredibly expensive.’ Democratic lawmakers blame One Big Beautiful Bill for prices
(Ohio Capital Journal) Ohio Democratic lawmakers say the Republican “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” has made everyday life more expensive for Ohioans, saying that people are losing their jobs, healthcare, and food security. More than 100,000 Ohioans — including more than 50,000 children — have lost their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits since President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” made the largest cuts to food stamps in the history of the program. |
| Construction kicks off for $51M apartments appealing to downtown Columbus workers
(Columbus Business First) Woda Cooper Companies Inc. aims to open the $51 million Opportunity Pointe development in fall 2028. The Columbus developer is leasing the land from the college's nonprofit real estate affiliate – one of several projects in a larger effort by the two-year school to remove non-academic barriers that can lead students to drop out... U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Columbus, attended the ceremonial groundbreaking Monday. Six of Beatty’s bills were rolled into the large 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which became law in July, including measures making it easier for banks to invest in affordable housing and increasing liquidity for small and medium banks |
| Cleveland nonprofits give up on Ohio City site for youth drop-in center
(Ideastream Public Media) A drop-in center is still in the works, LMM announced on its website Monday, but the nonprofit did not state where it will be located or a timeline for when it could open. It will be operated by LMM's partner, A Place 4 Me, a nonprofit dedicated to ending youth homelessness in Cleveland... Neighbors who had filed suit, including former Cleveland Housing Court Judge Ron O'Leary, said they are not against a drop-in center for young people experiencing homelessness. But they've argued its location in their residential Ohio City neighborhood would increase crime, noise and trash. |
| Delayed HUD funding leaves Cleveland landlords unpaid, tenants facing possible eviction
(Cleveland.com) Fifty-five low-income Cleveland households have gone without federal housing assistance since the beginning of August because of a funding delay that started in Washington and has worked its way down to their monthly rent payments. The households receive help through a federal program that provides housing assistance to vulnerable low-income residents. They are still paying their required share of the rent, generally about 30% of their adjusted monthly income. But the federal money that covers the rest hasn’t arrived. |
| Rep. Sweeney Announces $14.75M to Expand Access to Affordable Housing
(Ohio House of Representatives) State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) yesterday announced that the Controlling Board approved $14.75M in funding for the Resident Services Coordinator Program, the Housing Development Assistance Program, and the Housing Assistance Grant Program, under the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. “These investments will make housing more affordable in Ohio and ensure more Ohioans have a safe place to live,” said Rep. Sweeney. |
| OHFA Board Approves Financing for Three Housing Developments and Announces Ohio LIHTC Allocations
(OHFA) The Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) Board approved financing from various programs to support three housing developments to create or preserve affordable housing units throughout the state. The Board also announced that 11 applicants will be asked to submit final applications for the State Fiscal Year 2027 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) with Ohio LIHTC program. |
| Columbus Foundation grants shelter board $2M amid funding uncertainty
(Columbus Dispatch) The Columbus Foundation will provide a $2 million grant to the Community Shelter Board, helping offset a potential funding cut from Franklin County to make more resources available to help the homeless... The shelter board previously warned that it would have to cut about 43% of the county's year-round adult shelter capacity after learning it wouldn't receive the roughly $14.5 million in county funding it had budgeted for fiscal year 2027. The cuts come as homelessness in the county is rising, including the number of people living outside. |
| CMHA faces federal budget shortfall, cuts new Housing Choice vouchers
(Columbus Dispatch) The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority hasn't issued new Housing Choice Vouchers in nearly two years, leaving roughly 28,000 local families on a waiting list for housing assistance. That's because Columbus' public housing agency has been in a $12 million funding shortfall with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since December 2025, in turn causing CMHA to freeze Housing Choice Voucher issuance to new participants and lower the amount it will contribute toward rent for some existing voucher-holders, among other cost-cutting measures. |
| As state homeless populations rise, Northeast Ohio opens 2 new shelters
(Ideastream Public Media) Two new homeless shelters, one in Cuyahoga County and one in Portage County, are set to open their doors this week. The revamped Norma Herr Women's Center in Cleveland officially opened Wednesday, while Tommy's Place in Ravenna opens Thursday... EDEN owns the Norma Herr properties and oversaw the development process. The city of Cleveland supported the construction by contributing $5.6 million in Home Investment Partnerships American Rescue Plan Program and Community Development Block Grant funding. In Ravenna, the grand opening of Tommy's Place, a low-barrier shelter, will take place Thursday, Aug. 13 at 11 a.m. |
| Licking County H.O.M.E. Court measures success in lives changed over the last year
(WOSU) For more than a year, Wednesdays in Licking County Municipal Court have been H.O.M.E. Court days. The Housing Opportunities through Municipal Engagement court diversion program connects homeless people charged with nonviolent misdemeanor crimes to emergency housing, mental health services doctors and more. |
| CHN’s Next CEO Annnounced
(Community Housing Network) We’re thrilled to welcome Ann Bischoff as CHN’s next Chief Executive Officer! Ann joins CHN on September 14, bringing a decade of nonprofit leadership experience and a deep commitment to housing stability, strong communities, and creating opportunities for people to thrive. |
| CHN’s Next CEO Annnounced
(Community Housing Network) We’re thrilled to welcome Ann Bischoff as CHN’s next Chief Executive Officer! Ann joins CHN on September 14, bringing a decade of nonprofit leadership experience and a deep commitment to housing stability, strong communities, and creating opportunities for people to thrive. |
