The Woman’s City Club invites the community to a public forum on the crisis in affordable housing.
The shortage of affordable housing in Hamilton County is a crisis affecting more than 100,000 households. The poorest households have to spend as much as 50 to 75% of their income to keep a roof over their heads. This means they remain mired in poverty and at risk of eviction and homelessness.
Two years ago, Cincinnati City Council established an Affordable Housing Trust Fund as a way to address the crisis in Cincinnati through public funding, but the City has been unable to identify funding streams that more than minimally meet the enormous need.
Community advocates have come forward and placed a Charter amendment on the May ballot requiring the City to allocate $50 million annually to the trust fund. While the community may agree that a crisis exists, not everyone agrees this proposal is a viable way to address it.
Learn more about the affordable housing crisis, the charter amendment proposal, its rationale, and its pluses and minuses.
A panel of local category experts will share perspectives on this issue:
- Kathy Schwab, retired executive director, LISC
- Dot Christenson, retired director, Better Housing League and community advocate
- Peg Fox, executive director, Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC)
- Matt Strauss, chair, endorsement committee, Cincinnati Action for Housing Now campaign
The Woman’s City Club is a leading civic organization in Cincinnati celebrating its 105th year. The club promotes justice, civic reform, and citizen engagement through education, advocacy, and service.
The forum is free and open to the public, and will allow ample time for audience questions/comments
- “Perspectives on the Proposed Charter Amendment to Fund the City’s Housing Trust Fund”
- Thursday, Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m.
513-751– 0100 or wcc@womanscityclub.org