In this episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Dr. Cody Price is joined by Michael Pires (pires.5@osu.edu) who serves as the Power of Home project manager. Power of Home is a collaborative partnership between John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University (OSU), OHFA and Framework Homeownership. The pilot program aims to support OHFA’s first-time homeowners by providing free education and financial tools through the Keep app. To learn more about the Power of Home program and the Keep app, visit keephome.com. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps.  

Doorsteps

The Power of Home

In this episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Dr. Cody Price is joined by CelebrateOne’s Maureen Stapleton and Priyam Khan to discuss the Healthy Beginnings at Home program - a housing stabilization pilot program for pregnant women in Columbus, OH, which found that “women who received housing assistance experienced better birth outcomes than those that did not receive this assistance.” We also discuss COVID-19 impacts, racial disparities in pregnancy, and Healthy Beginnings at Home 2.0. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps.

Reducing Infant Mortality Through Housing Assistance

Source of income (SOI) discrimination is a practice by which landlords, owners, and real estate brokers refuse to rent to prospective tenants seeking to pay for housing with housing assistance vouchers, subsidies, or other forms of public assistance. Since Ohio is a home rule state, municipalities can pass laws to govern themselves, including the passage of SOI discrimination legislation that expands protections of the Fair Housing Act. In this episode of the Doorsteps podcast, OHFA's Kelan Craig and Dr. Cody Price are joined by Bexley's Mayor Ben Kessler and Council President Lori Ann Feibel to discuss how Bexley became the 6th community in Ohio and the first in central Ohio to pass a SOI protection ordinance and why this legislation matters. They discuss how SOI protections help support community efforts to build equity.  To learn more about SOI protection ordinances please visit OHFA's website at SOI Discrimination.

Building Equity Through Source of Income Protection

In this episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Dr. Corianne Scally of the Urban Institute joins Dr. Cody Price to talk about rural housing issues across the US. Corianne dispels myths of rural America, discusses the importance of health equity in rural areas, and how COVID-19 has affected these regions. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps.

Rural Housing, Health, and Prosperity: A Closer Look

In the latest episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Michael Wilkos of United Way of Central Ohio joins Dr. Cody Price to talk about the growing challenge of high housing costs and developing neighborhoods, and one Columbus neighborhood where government intervention has seen positive results: Weinland Park. Michael shares some successes of public sector action, challenges of these types of programs and some actionable insights for other growing cities.

Developing Neighborhoods and the Complexities of Gentrification

Housing is connected to many aspects of everyday life. For many, housing is a large portion of their monthly budget. Where you live impacts your access to healthcare, transportation, quality of education, and more. Yet, in Ohio, there is a shortage of housing across the state, racial inequality in rentership and homeownership, and an aging housing stock. Those are just a few key trends found in this year’s Housing Needs Assessment. In the latest episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Dr. Cody Price is joined by his colleague, Devin Keithley, OHFA’s Data Quality Assurance Coordinator. Devin shares housing trends and challenges, changes to the HNA and critical data, including the addition of a COVID-19 section.

The State of Housing in Ohio

There are many stigmas that surround mental illness. Because of these stigmas, paired with the lack of mental health resources, many fail to receive the treatment they need. This can wreak havoc on individuals and families, leaving them overwhelmed caring for a loved one that they do not know how to help. When a support system is not available, those with mental illness are vulnerable to homelessness and incarceration. In the latest episode of the Doorsteps Podcast, Dr. Cody Price is joined by Terry Russell, Executive Director of NAMI Ohio, a grassroots organization advocating for mental health issues. Since 1982, NAMI Ohio has affected public policy and legislation regarding care of those affected by mental illness. The organization works to educate the public on stigmas, how to support those with mental illnesses and available resources.

A Roof Over Your Head: Mental Health in Trying Times

Across the country, people’s life chances are influenced by the neighborhood they live in and the resources they have in those neighborhoods. Children especially, have the ability to do very well when they move to a higher opportunity community. Move to Prosper founders sought to test this in Columbus, Ohio, the second most economically separated region in the U.S. In the latest episode of the Doorsteps Podcast, Dr. Cody Price is joined by Amy Klaben, Dr. Rachel Kleit and Dr. Jason Reece of the Move to Proper project. Modeled after the Moving to Opportunity for Fair Housing study, Move to Prosper is a pilot program for single working moms who want to move to safe neighborhoods with high performing schools. It provides rental support, one-on-one coaching on housing mobility, finances, education and help and peer support for three years. The program also works with private sector landlords who might not otherwise rent to these families because of income limits, their rental history or their credit score. With the goal to stabilize families to influence the life changes of kids, Move to Prosper is working with a new model of housing, short-term subsidies. As it moves into its third year of the program, the program follows its 10 participating families, looking closely at its impact. Are families going to the ER as much? Does the program reduce chronic stress and address mental health issues? How does that impact their quality of life? Dr. Cody Price and his Move to Prosper guests answer these questions, and much more, in the latest episode of the Doorsteps Podcast. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. 

Higher Opportunity in Affordable Housing: Move to Prosper

Disasters come in many forms and have consequences beyond initial impact. From tornadoes and floods that impact entire communities to fires that destroy a single home, the impact can remain for years to come. Over the last 10 years, all 88 counties in Ohio have been affected by disasters, including severe storms, flooding and tornadoes. Rebuilding and recovering from a disaster can be extremely expensive. It’s estimated that Ohio homeowners spent nearly $437 million in disaster repairs from 2013-2015.  When disaster strikes, communities risk losing more than physical structures. Renters leaving the area means a community runs the risk of having a reduced Census count, meaning loss of funding. Low-income individuals are often most vulnerable to disasters, with little-to-no financial safety net.  While disasters are often unavoidable, there are steps you can take to prepare and reduce risk. This episode discusses hazards that can be removed to avoid or minimize damage and resources that can help a community on its way to recovery. In the latest episode of the Doorsteps Podcast, Dr. Cody Price is joined by Tim Bete of St. Mary Development Corporation, a faith-based nonprofit with more than 65 affordable housing developments in nine states. The nonprofit focuses on social determinants of health, like access to health care, transportation and grocery stores, all things that impact one's health but are out of their control. Through this approach, St. Mary’s has been supporting their senior residents in avoiding personal disasters and living independently as long as possible. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. *Episode was recorded November 2019.  

Disaster Strikes - Now What?

In the 1930s, redlining took over the American lending system: bankers picked lending-free areas (largely based on race) and drew virtual lines around neighborhood maps. Today, the practice is considered discriminatory because it predominantly impacted poor, black neighborhoods. Due to lack of investment, neighborhoods saw little economic growth, and in many cases, remain impoverished. This practice continued through the 1970s, until the Community Reinvestment Act passed in 1977. Over the last four decades, the CRA has led to fair and equitable access to capital in disenfranchised areas throughout the country by encouraging banks to serve their local communities. Of the 25 largest banks in the U.S., annual community investment averaged $35 billion dollars. Since the inception of CRA, total investment is about $2 trillion dollars. In December 2019, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency proposed reforms to the CRA in an attempt to modernize practices. These reforms have since been widely criticized for attempting to weaken the impact of the CRA. In this episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Dr. Cody Price talks with Nate Coffman, executive director of the Ohio CDC Association, a non-profit trade association for community development corporations that work to revitalize rural and urban communities. Nate shares the history and impact of the CRA, a breakdown of the proposed reforms, and how to submit public comment by the April 8 deadline. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. 

No Community Reinvestment Act, No Community Development: Proposed Changes to the CRA

For residents across the country, there is a direct connection between housing and transportation, and both have immense impact on how we live our lives. For most households, especially low-income, transportation is the second largest expense after housing. Limited transportation impacts access to good jobs, healthy food, doctor appointments, school and other resources important for success. Developers and community partners are in a position to close the gap between where people live and where they need to go. Properties like Aspen Place are a prime example of how developers can work with their communities’ transportation system to give residents access and help their communities thrive. In this episode of the Doorsteps podcast, Dr. Cody Price talks with Dr. Alison Goebel on transportation issues and solutions in Ohio. As Director of the Greater Ohio Policy Center, Dr. Goebel and her organization use research and policy for improving Ohio’s communities.  For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. 

Closing the Gap on Housing and Transportation

Every community has one: the old, creepy, abandoned building. Maybe it’s a big mansion at the end of a dead-end road. Maybe it’s the old schoolhouse, with windows busted out and vines creeping up the crumbling brick walls. The real scary thing it isn’t their creaking floors or the wind whistling through the holes in the walls. It’s that these buildings, once staples of lively communities often lie in decay, waiting…until they’re demolished. With them, their unique architectural features and years of town memories, wiped away with a single wrecking ball.   But these old buildings don’t have to be scary, or come to a chilling end. Through historic rehabilitation, these architectural gems with their antique and aged features can be preserved and brought to new life. OHFA properties like Nelsonville Commons and Lima Trust Building are historic preservation projects, once abandoned and decaying, now provide affordable housing for individuals and families, bring new life to the buildings and are staples of their communities once again.   In our special Halloween episode of the Doorsteps podcast, OHFA’s Samantha Makoski and Dr. Cody Price are joined by Joe McCabe of Woda Cooper Companies. Joe shares some of the real treats and some nasty tricks of historical rehabilitation as well as some sweet federal and state tax incentives that can make rehabilitation costs a little less scary. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. 

Tricks and Treats of Historic Rehab

A common misconception about homeownership is that buyers need at least a 20% down payment to purchase a house. In the latest episode of Doorsteps, Dr. Cody Price speaks with Jon Duy, Real Estate Relations Manager in OHFA’s Office of Homeownership, who shares his expert insight into the homebuying process. How much do you really need for a down payment? What is the first step to buying a house? Do you qualify for down payment assistance? Jon answers these common questions and walks through some OHFA homebuyer programs that help make buying a house or condo easier.   For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps.   For more information on homeownership assistance through OHFA, visit www.myohiohome.org to find a lender and get started on the path to homeownership.

What to Expect When You're Expecting...to Buy a Home

A safe, decent, and affordable home can help improve the economic mobility of a low-income resident. Coupling this with proper amenities and services can help bolster the resident’s success and economic security. In this episode of Doorsteps, Dr. Cody Price speaks with Julianna Stuart from Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), a non-profit developer, owner, and operator of more than 10,000 homes in 11 states and the District of Columbia, about how the organization invests in its residents through programs such as the Outcomes Initiative and Family Self-Sufficiency program. For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. To learn more about housing needs in Ohio, click here. For more information about POAH, visit their website. The views and opinions expressed in Doorsteps are those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.  

Investing in LIHTC Residents

The National Housing Week of Action (#OurHomesOurVoices) is May 30 through June 5. Advocates will call attention to the need for increased investment in affordable housing by making the affordable rental housing shortage a national priority. In this episode of Doorsteps, Dr. Cody Price speaks with Bill Faith, Executive Director, and Marcus Roth, Director of Communications & Development, of Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to ending homelessness and promoting decent, safe, fair, affordable housing for all, to bring attention to affordable housing issues in Ohio.  For more from the Office of Housing Policy, visit our website and follow us on Twitter @ohiodoorsteps. To learn more about housing needs in Ohio, click here. For more information about COHHIO, click here. For more information about the National Housing Week of Action, click here. The views and opinions expressed in Doorsteps are those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency. 

National Housing Week of Action with COHHIO

Doorsteps: where people live, where neighborhoods connect, where conversations happen. Join Dr. Cody Price as he discusses housing in the state of Ohio and the challenges Ohioans face in the place they call home. The views and opinions expressed in Doorsteps are those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily reflect those of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.

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