(Updated November 2022)

COHHIO and over 260 companies and organizations are asking Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly to make a one-time investment of Ohio’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to address Ohio’s affordable housing crisis.

Lame duck session has begun and we need your help to get this proposal passed! Please take a few moments today to advocate for the plan to invest $308 million in federal recovery funds on affordable housing before the end of 2022!

Here’s how you can help:

  • Call or email your state legislators and ask them to support COHHIO’s $308 million plan to invest ARPA Fiscal Recovery Funds in affordable housing. Click here to look up your state legislators and find their contact info.
  • Email or call the Governor’s Office at 614-644-4357 to let them know you support COHHIO’s proposal to invest ARPA funds in affordable housing. (Download talking points)

Background on the $308 million ARPA plan for affordable housing

Average rent in Ohio increased over 12% in one year, outstripping wage increases. Even before the pandemic there were only 185,000 affordable rental units available to the 437,000 extremely low-income households in Ohio. Evictions are increasing and unsheltered homelessness is on the rise.

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided the states with $350 billion in flexible Fiscal Recovery Funds. The State of Ohio still has about $1.7 billion, providing a rare opportunity to make a significant dent in Ohio’s affordable housing problem.

Our proposal calls for a one-time investment of $308 million in State Fiscal Recovery funds including:

  • Create 1,500 housing units for those who require nearby supportive services ($100 million): These permanent supportive housing (PSH) units would serve chronically homeless individuals with severe behavioral health challenges, homeless youth and survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence through gap financing with Ohio’s housing tax credit programs.
  • Create up to 5,000 affordable rental units by leveraging other federal resources ($150 million): Rehab existing and develop new affordable rental units for low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities by leveraging the 4% housing tax credit and Multifamily Bond programs.
  • Fight infant mortality through investment in safe, welcoming homes ($9 million): Expand the Healthy Beginnings at Home pilot for more families at risk of infant mortality in four additional counties.
  • Rehabilitate existing housing to keep seniors and people with disabilities in their own homes ($39 million over 3 years): Avoid institutional care by rehabilitating homes for low-income homeowners and expand home repair and accessibility modifications for seniors and people with disabilities through the Housing Assistance Grant Program.
  • Homes to help ex-offenders overcome behavioral health issues ($10 million): Expand the Frequent Users Systems Engagement (FUSE) initiative in five additional counties to help justice system-involved individuals reenter society and avoid recidivism.

This plan conforms to the State’s guidance for the use of ARPA Fiscal Recovery Funds – it is a one-time expenditure of federal dollars that won’t increase future operating costs. And it would utilize Ohio’s established public private partnership system for building and rehabilitating affordable housing.

Investing ARPA to increase the supply of affordable homes for our most vulnerable Ohioans will help reduce homelessness in our communities, restrain state and local spending on hospitals, courts, schools, jails, homeless shelters, and foster care, create jobs and help stabilize Ohio’s workforce.

Supporters include:

  1. Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO)
  2. Corporation for Supportive Housing
  3. Ohio Chamber of Commerce
  4. Ohio Business Roundtable
  5. Huntington National Bank
  6. Ohio REALTORS
  7. Ohio Bankers League
  8. PNC
  9. Ohio Credit Union League
  10. CareSource
  11. Nationwide Children’s Hospital
  12. Molina Healthcare of Ohio, Inc.
  13. National Church Residences
  14. LeadingAge Ohio
  15. Ohio Apartment Association
  16. Habitat for Humanity of Ohio
  17. Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
  18. Ohio Housing Council
  19. The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health & Family Services Providers
  20. Ruscilli Construction Co., Inc.
  21. Ohio Housing Authorities Conference
  22. Ohio Domestic Violence Network
  23. Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council
  24. Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging
  25. Philanthropy Ohio
  26. Ohio Poverty Law Center
  27. National Association for Rural Mental Health
  28. Ohio Conference of Community Development, Inc.
  29. Ohio Association of Foodbanks
  30. The Ohio Council of Churches
  31. Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland
  32. Model Group
  33. Buckeye Community Hope Foundation
  34. National Affordable Housing Trust
  35. Ohio CDC Association
  36. Ohio Fair Lending Coalition
  37. Finance Fund
  38. The Woda Cooper Companies, Inc.
  39. Wallick Communities
  40. CHN Housing Partners
  41. Enterprise Community Partners
  42. Equitas Health
  43. PrimaryOne Health
  44. Homeport
  45. Millennia Housing Development
  46. NeighborWorks Collaborative of Ohio
  47. Novogradac & Company LLP
  48. The NRP Group
  49. The Provident Companies
  50. Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition
  51. Tidwell Group
  52. Greater Ohio Policy Center
  53. AIDS Healthcare Foundation
  54. Policy Matters Ohio
  55. UHCAN Ohio
  56. Ohio Organizing Collaborative
  57. Ohio Federation for Health Equity and Social Justice
  58. ABC Management
  59. A Guided Home
  60. Abuse & Rape Crisis Shelter of Warren County
  61. ACCESS,Inc.
  62. Adams Brown Community Action Partnership
  63. Adams County Homeless Shelter
  64. Advancing Independence
  65. Affordable Housing Advisors, LLC
  66. Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
  67. Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus & Franklin County
  68. Alliance for Children & Families, Inc.
  69. Area Agency on Aging District 5
  70. Area Agency on Aging District 7
  71. Artemis Center
  72. Athens-Hocking-Vinton Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board
  73. Aurora Project, Inc
  74. Avondale Development Corporation
  75. Barbara Poppe and Associates
  76. bi3
  77. Broken Connections, Inc.
  78. CANAPI
  79. Canton for All People
  80. Caracole, Inc.
  81. Catholic Charities Bishop William M. Cosgrove Center
  82. Celebrate One
  83. Central Community House
  84. Cincinnati Development Fund
  85. Cincinnati Health Network
  86. Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority
  87. Cincinnatians for Affordable Housing
  88. City of Whitehall
  89. Collaborative to End Human Trafficking
  90. Columbiana County Educational Service Center
  91. Columbus Apartment Association
  92. Columbus Chamber of Commerce
  93. Columbus Coalition for the Homeless
  94. Columbus Early Learning Centers
  95. Columbus Empowerment Corp.
  96. Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority
  97. Community Action Commission of Fayette County
  98. Community Action Organization of Scioto County
  99. Community Building Partnership
  100. Community Development for All People
  101. Community Housing Network
  102. Community Shelter Board
  103. COMPASS Family & Community Services
  104. Cradle Cincinnati
  105. Creative Housing | Creative Renovations
  106. Crisis Care Line
  107. Dominion Christian Center
  108. Dragonfly Consulting Group
  109. Drake Construction
  110. EDEN Inc.
  111. Erie Metropolitan Housing Authority
  112. Fair Housing Contact Service
  113. Fair Housing Resource Center, Inc.
  114. Famicos Foundation
  115. Family and Community Services, Inc.
  116. Family Promise of Delaware County
  117. Findlay Hope House for the Homeless, Inc.
  118. First English Lutheran Church
  119. Forche Law and Mediation
  120. Franklin County Auditor’s Office
  121. Franklin County Recorder’s Office
  122. Freshwater Future
  123. Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition
  124. Greater Dayton Premier Management
  125. Greater Hilltop Area Shalom Zone CDC
  126. Green National
  127. GreenLight Fund Cincinnati
  128. Grovedale Consulting
  129. Habitat for Humanity East Central Ohio
  130. Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County
  131. Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning Valley
  132. Habitat for Humanity of the Tri-State
  133. Habitat for Humanity-MidOhio
  134. HAPCAP/Southeast Ohio Foodbank
  135. Happy Campers Learning Center
  136. Haven of Portage County
  137. Healthy Beginnings at Home
  138. Heart of Ohio Homeless Shelter – Marion Shelter Program, Inc.
  139. Heart to Heart Family Support Center
  140. Hocking Metropolitan Housing Authority
  141. Home for Families
  142. Home Is The Foundation
  143. Homefull
  144. Hooker DeJong, Inc.
  145. Human Services Chamber of Hamilton County
  146. Humility of Mary Housing
  147. Hunger Network in Ohio
  148. IMPACT Community Action
  149. Inclusive Housing Resources
  150. Ironton Lawrence CAO
  151. Jefferson County CAC
  152. Jordan Community Resource Center
  153. Joseph’s Home
  154. JOVIS
  155. Kings Local Food Pantry
  156. Knox Metropolitan Housing Authority
  157. Lance Fred Greene Corporation
  158. League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland
  159. Liberty Center of Sandusky County
  160. Licking County Coalition for Housing
  161. Lighthouse Youth & Family Services
  162. LISC Greater Cincinnati
  163. Lorain County Coordinated Entry
  164. Lots of Love Learning Center
  165. Lowenstein Development, LLC
  166. Lucas County Human Trafficking Coalition
  167. Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority
  168. Luken Solutions
  169. Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry
  170. Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio
  171. MACHDO
  172. Mahoning County Homeless Continuum of Care
  173. Mahoning County Land Bank
  174. Mary Magdalen House
  175. Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio
  176. Medali Services
  177. Medina Metropolitan Housing Authority
  178. Mercy Manor, Inc.
  179. Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati
  180. MHARS Board Lorain County
  181. Miami Valley Community Action Partnership
  182. Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, Inc.
  183. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
  184. Modcon Living
  185. Montgomery County Commission
  186. Montgomery County Homeless Solutions Policy Board
  187. Mota Design Group, Inc.
  188. Move to PROSPER
  189. MVAH Partners
  190. My Sister’s Place
  191. Neighborhood Housing Partnership of Greater Springfield
  192. Neighborhood Housing Services of Hamilton, Inc.
  193. Neighborhood Properties, Inc.
  194. Neighborhood Services Inc.
  195. NEO Black Health Coalition
  196. New Era Benefits Consulting, Ltd.
  197. New Home Development Company
  198. New Sunrise Properties
  199. Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission
  200. Oberer Companies
  201. Ohio Animal Advocates
  202. OneEighty, Inc.
  203. Over-the-Rhine Community Housing
  204. Parsons Avenue Redevelopment Corporation
  205. PIRHL
  206. Price Hill Will
  207. Public Health -Dayton & Montgomery County
  208. Randall B. Shorr, Attorney at Law
  209. Reeb Avenue Center
  210. Regionomics
  211. Renewal Housing Associates LLC
  212. Renter Mentor
  213. Residential Administrators
  214. RESULTS Columbus
  215. Right Path Financial Coaching
  216. Saad & Saad LLP
  217. Saint Vincent de Paul, Dayton
  218. Saint Vincent de Paul Society, St. Teresa of Calcutta conference
  219. Sarah’s Friends, Inc.
  220. Sawmill Road Management Company
  221. Siemer Institute
  222. Slavic Village Development
  223. St. Mary Development Corp.
  224. St. Matthew Episcopal Church
  225. Paul’s Community Center
  226. Star Title Agency LLC
  227. Strategic Opportunities LLC
  228. Strategies to End Homelessness
  229. Summit Community Development Corp., Inc.
  230. Sunset Development
  231. Talbert House
  232. Tender Mercies, Inc.
  233. The Ability Center of Greater Toledo
  234. The Akron Leadership Foundation
  235. The Carding Group
  236. The Community Builders
  237. The Family Resource Center
  238. The Orlean Company
  239. Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board
  240. Tom Albanese Consulting, LLC
  241. Torrey Hill Apartments
  242. TouchPointe Marriage and Family Resources
  243. Tri-County LLC
  244. TUSCARAWAS METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY
  245. United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland
  246. United Methodist Church for All People
  247. United Way of Greater Toledo
  248. Urban Mission Ministries
  249. Urban Strategies Inc.
  250. Vacant and Abandoned Property Action Council
  251. Vincentian Ohio Action Network
  252. Vogt Strategic Insights
  253. West Ohio Community Action Partnership
  254. Wooster Homelessness Task Force
  255. Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation
  256. YMCA of Central Ohio
  257. YWCA Dayton
  258. YWCA Greater Cincinnati
  259. YWCA Hamilton
  260. YWCA Mahoning Valley
  261. YWCA Northwest Ohio
  262. Zanesville Housing Development Corporation