Candidate for Mayor of Columbus Joe Motil states, "The Conference of U.S. Mayors tweeted Saturday that, “Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the signing of the American Rescue Plan Act, which provided $65.1B directly to America's cities. Over the past two years, mayors have put this funding to work to address long-standing challenges and build stronger, more equitable cities.”

Mayor Andy Ginther’s reply on Twitter conveniently neglects to inform voters that he has not spent a dime of our city’s $187 million share of ARP funds to build a single unit of affordable housing. The city has $84.6 million remaining. Since 2021, there has been 36,500 evictions, close to 300 homeless in Columbus have died, and about 60,000 people are paying 50 percent or more of their incomes to pay for rent.

 https://twitter.com/MayorGinther/status/1634290225324384256

Motil says, "With a crisis of this magnitude, how could anyone in their right mind sit on taxpayer dollars when the need for affordable housing is so great? It is unconscionable to ignore the housing needs of tens of thousands of people who are suffering daily when dollars are available at your finger tips."  

Motil concludes, "Some of you may recall the attached presselease below that I sent out on July 21, 2021 suggesting among other things that Ginther and the county commissioners both contribute $60 million of ARP funds and that The Columbus Partnership match the $60 million. This would create an immediate infusion of $180 million towards building affordable housing units.  Ginther has a complete lack of vision, leadership and political courage to lead Columbus out of this affordable housing crisis. The voters of Columbus have had enough of him and will show him the door this November."

--Press Release--

Motil Presents Affordable Housing Proposal to County Board of Commissioners, Mayor Ginther, Columbus City Council, The Columbus Partnership & Nationwide Children’s Hospital   

COLUMBUS, OH – Joe Motil, former candidate for Columbus City Council and State Representative testified at this morning’s Franklin County Board of Commissioners public hearing on a proposal and other suggestions on how to best spend the county’s $255 million share of the federal governments American Rescue Plan (ARP) money. Mr. Motil, who has been advocating and fighting for fairness, opportunity, and justice on nearly all fronts on issues that impact our communities economic and social quality of life for 35 years now states that, “ The ARP funding for both the county and  city of Columbus can lend immediate assistance especially to our underserved and low-income residents who have been impacted by COVID far more than others.”          

Motil testified that, “ I have recently suggested a written proposal to Mayor Ginther and members of Columbus City Council that they consider allocating $60 million of their remaining $167 million ARP funds towards affordable housing that would be designated only towards those with incomes of 60% AMI and less. I have also written to and asked CEO and President of The Columbus Partnership Mr. Alex Fischer to propose to the 80-member organization that he represents to match that $60 million.” “I am here today to suggest to you also, to consider matching that $60 million and hope you would consider joining in a conversation with the Columbus Partnership and City of Columbus elected officials on such a proposal . An immediate infusion of $180 million would go a long way into helping to provide decent housing for our homeless, the thousands of people who have or are facing evictions, help to reduce the waiting line for those who are in need of housing vouchers, and of course help the thousands of others who spending 50% or more of their incomes on rent.” “If I were to use the county’s estimate of its $68 million to create over 2,000 affordable housing units over the next 10 years, $180 million would create just over 6,235 affordable housing units.”

Motil further states that, “along with this proposal that addresses our affordable housing crisis for those with incomes of 60% AMI ($35,220 single person, $50,200 family of four) and lower, I have also asked Mr. Alex Fischer of The Columbus Partnership to present to his members the creation of its own Affordable Housing Trust Fund. I have also suggested to Mayor Ginther and members of Columbus City Council to place a $250 million affordable housing bond package on the ballot, increase the 8.43%  hotel-motel bed tax that is earmarked for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund  to 20%, and to re-adjust the required set aside units in Community Reinvestment Areas to 20% of all units at 60% AMI and 10% at 80% AMI.        

Motil concluded that, “ I have also begun writing a letter to Nationwide Children’s’ Hospital CEO & President Mr. Tim Robinson asking him to consider constructing a 75–100-unit affordable housing complex as part of its planned $3.3 billion 12.6-acre expansion project. Such a complex could provide housing in walking distance for the many lower wage employees who work at Nationwide Children’s and other residents in south Columbus who have been seeing an increase in monthly rents for quite some time. This is partially due to the hospitals presence in the area and increased attention and revival of the south side from homebuyers and renters over the last 10 years or so.”