Erica C. Crawley, J.D., M.P.A.

Franklin County Commissioner

It’s hard to tell Commissioner Erica C. Crawley is a mother, advocate, and veteran. As the first Black woman Commissioner, her commitment to serving every resident, every day comes from her lived experiences and deep understanding of what working families need to thrive, and not just survive. Commissioner Crawley has always stood with the most vulnerable among us – working to ensure access to high-quality childcare, affordable housing, supportive addiction, mental health treatment, better maternal health outcomes, and first-rate veteran services for those who have bravely served our nation. She currently serves on numerous boards.

Like so many of her constituents, Commissioner Crawley has known what it’s like to fight and work hard to get ahead. Originally from Youngstown, Commissioner Crawley’s family reflected the story of successes and struggles that so many families share in our community. She is a first-generation college graduate, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, focusing on juvenile delinquency from Cleveland State University. She also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Walden University and a Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School.

Crawley has spent much of her life making a difference by serving others and helping them find their voice. She served in the United States Navy earning the Naval & Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. Additionally, she has advocated on behalf of children and families with the Cuyahoga County Job & Family Services, YMCA Head Start/ Early Head Start Program, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA), and the Black Child Development Institute.

In 2018, Crawley was elected to represent Ohio’s 26th House District, which included much of eastern and southeastern Franklin County. During her time in the legislature, her priorities focused on maternal health, infant mortality, birth-to-five initiatives, housing and food insecurity, and veteran issues. Crawley served on the House Finance Committee, Finance Subcommittee on Primary & Secondary Education, Primary & Secondary Committee, Armed Services & Veterans Affairs, Correctional Institution Inspection Committee (CIIC), and was appointed to the Governor’s Commission on Infant Mortality, the Commission on Minority Health and was a founding member of Ohio’s Black Maternal Health Caucus.

Commissioner Crawley is the mother of twin girls. She enjoys spending time with them and traveling with family and friends.

Leah F. Evans President and CEO

Homeport

Homeport is pushing the Central Ohio housing industry forward not only with new housing developments but with a people focused approach to its work. For over 35 years Homeport has been making neighborhood-based investments and partnering with the community by turning shovels to build 43 communities, with 2,736 apartments and homes for nearly 7,000 residents. It is the largest, locally based affordable housing provider in Central Ohio. A strong go-to agency that serves as a major provider of housing, both rental and for-sale, social services, homebuyer education, and financial fitness.

Last year, Leah Evans assumed the top job at Homeport as the non-profit organization continues to grapple with the mounting housing challenges of a growing region. Over 54,000 lower income families in Central Ohio currently pay at least half their income to rent causing housing instability. The problem is magnified by the current and projected population growth and escalating real estate prices.

Leah is proud to work alongside Homeport’s team to tackle these issues with collaborative action using strategic investment, aligning housing goals with economic development, transportation, and infrastructure. Her track record relies on leadership principles she carries with her to “learn and be curious.” Curiosity about community development and housing issues is key. How do our homes shape who we are, how we think of others, and who we think belongs? We often talk about the work in terms of numbers and those are important, but they are easy measurements. What doesn’t get talked about as much is the impact, what it does for people to have secure housing. Why it matters to have public-private collaborations to advance housing. It’s for the resident who live with us but also for the broader community,” she says. “I’m hoping that we can elevate the conversation and not just talk about what we do but what will be changed by what we do and how that’s measured in the impacts we’re having on people’s lives. Describing housing without understanding ‘belonging’ is to speak of statistics without purpose, place without human texture, buildings not homes.”

No two days are alike at Homeport, whether Evans is testifying at the Statehouse in support of a proposed Workforce Housing Tax Credit Program or visiting with older residents at the annual Senior Prom, the work continues, and each action Homeport takes with the community builds upon itself. Evans shares this is why she was drawn to this work, it is collaborative and iterative, cooperative, and evolving and can bring out the best in people.

Raised in Cleveland Heights, Leah credits her parents for instilling in her the value of hard work and service. She sees building places of belonging as a service to the community and central to who she is.

Evans holds a master’s degree in City & Regional Planning and a B.A in Urban Geography from The Ohio State University. She is a fellow with the African American Leadership Academy and a graduate of the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program at the Harvard Kennedy School.