Housing, Health, and Hope: Opening The Gates To Opportunity In Central Ohio

The Community's Conversation

What would Central Ohio's future look like with safe, affordable mixed-income neighborhoods as a part of everyday life? How much healthier, stronger, and more equitable would our region be?

For the most part, this is now just a dream for many central Ohioans. Our region is experiencing a severe housing shortage because we’ve built an average of only 8,000 housing units per year for more than a decade, while 20,000 units per year were needed to balance supply and demand. This caused the price of housing for both renters and buyers to increase by more than three times the increase in median income for both renters and homebuyers.

Today, we examine the links connecting housing, health, and opportunity and spotlight the will to act that could open the gates to healthier outcomes for all.

Featuring panelists:

Merisa Bowers, Council President & Member At-Large, Gahanna City Council

Michael B. Coleman, Former Mayor, City of Columbus, and Partner, Ice Miller

Dr. Craig Pollack, Katey Ayers Endowed Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (including opening remarks)

Kenneth L. Wright, Mayor & Council Member At-Large, City of Westerville

The moderator was Darci Congrove, Managing Director, GBQ.

This forum was sponsored by The Robert Weiler Company and the Thanks Be To God Foundation.

The livestream presenting sponsor was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. The livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch. It was supported by The Ellis and by Families Flourish.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus, Ohio's historic Italian Village on September 25, 2024.