The Ohio House approved a state budget this week that would significantly expand the Ohio Housing Trust Fund – the primary source of state funding for local homeless and affordable housing programs in Ohio.

After years of declining revenue for the Trust Fund, this is a major step forward! But we need your help to make sure this proposal survives the budget process. So we’re asking your organization to sign a new Statement of Support for the Home Matters to Ohio campaign to expand the Housing Trust Fund.

You might have signed an earlier version expressing support for a General Revenue Fund appropriation for the Trust Fund, but we created a new Statement of Support after it became clear that a funding increase through GRF was not possible in this budget. The new proposal would adjust county recorder fees to boost resources for both the Trust Fund and Ohio’s 88 counties.

The House’s amended budget also dedicates funding to fight Ohio’s heroin crisis, including a $6 million set-aside from the Housing Trust Fund to address the housing needs of people exiting opiate addiction treatment programs.

Because this strategy is different than the proposal you might have signed on to previously, we will no longer list you as a supporter unless you reaffirm your support.

We made significant progress in the House, but there’s still a lot of work to do. The budget now goes to the Ohio Senate, which will make its own changes before sending it to the governor to sign into law. We need to show broad support for the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. So if you’re authorized to sign on behalf of your organization, please take a moment to affirm your support. For more information, see the Home Matters to Ohio campaign brochure.

The House’s budget marks the first major increase in 14 years to the Ohio Housing Trust Fund. Together we can win the fight for a stronger Ohio Housing Trust Fund to help make home a reality for more seniors, Ohioans with disabilities, working families and people struggling with addiction and mental illness!

-Bill Faith, Executive Director

(For more information visit COHHIO’s Ohio Housing Trust Fund page.)