Housing Working Group

WHAT WE HAVE HEARD SO FAR...

LINDEN COMMUNITY PLAN HOUSING WORKING GROUP

ASPIRATIONS Public Meetings - Early 2017 •

Improve housing conditions. More affordable and up to date housing.

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Clean up neighborhoods and vacant lots.

More mixed-use housing.

Pop Up Planning Events - Summer 2017 •

Meet the needs of low income families (need more).

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Affordable and up to date / improve overall housing conditions within community.

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Re-development of existing homes. Need more low-income housing.

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Inclusion of agriculture as potential use for vacant / abandoned properties.

Fix up boarded up properties / rent to elderly population within the community.

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Safe (not loud, stop fighting and shooting).

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Infill development to fit within the context and character of the neighborhood.

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Improve maintenance on properties.

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Reduce percentage of rental homes in the neighborhood.

Safe, lead-free, crime-free, habitable and affordable.

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Reduce rents by providing labor to fix up nearby vacant housing.

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Encourage and incentivize owner occupied homes (streamline Land Bank / VAP process, reinstate dollar homes, low interest loans).

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Build up (too much vacancy), stop wasting housing.

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Re-entry housing program.

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Like Dublin.

Incentives for new and long-term home owners. Keep housing stock within the Linden community.

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More accessible (to younger families), and people with not-so-pretty past.

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Up to City standards.

Neighborhood Pride ongoing program, work with elderly to improve, and maintain property when they can’t. Allow for granny flats and make housing more handicap accessible.

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Not abandoned and torn down. Housing stock should be used for low-income families.

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Multi-purpose.

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Rent-to-own for local residents. Some portion of the rent should go towards equity.

Safe, affordable, and equal!!! Let residents know about available programs to assist.

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Community based.

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More housing options.

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Available, clean, in good condition with beautiful landscaping.

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Better kept (landlords not meeting their responsibilities).

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DISCUSSION •

Plentiful, to order build strong family units.

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Handicap accessible.

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Remove abandoned housing (eyesore in community).

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Not enough access for seniors.

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Affordable / jobs that enable people to buy homes.

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Gated in certain areas / patrolled.

Meeting #1 - August 10, 2017 Columbus Library - Linden Branch Land Bank •

Policy updates required by the Land Bank!

Homes currently sit vacant too long.

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Properties need to be acquired in more timely fashion (quicker). Linden residents need to be proactive and call if they suspect a home is vacant.

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Adjacent property owners of vacant properties are given opportunity to acquire properties. This should not be extended to LLC / non-owner-occupied parcels.

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To what extent are Land Bank parcels “reserved” for other non-profits (Homeport, Habitat)? Is there a time limit on this reserve policy?

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The court system (environmental) considered to be the delay in transfer of ownership / sale of abandoned homes / parcels.

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Can deed restrictions be put on homes (that go through the Land Bank) that keep as “owner occupied” only, not LLC’s for rental?

Concerns: •

Voiced concerns for proposed local “Cargominium” project(s).

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*One is currently planned by non-profit housing agency “Nothing Into Something Real Estate” at 1562 Old Leonard Ave. on

discussion empty lot. Containers being prepared for shipping by Detroit based Three Squared Construction. The project will yield 25 twobedroom apartments, 640 sf for former inmates. Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus & Franklin County is helping finance the project.

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Several in attendance voiced concern for community to address needs of former incarcerated / drug-addicted residents.

Group members noted that mechanisms must be put in place to properly maintain such housing options.

Must have greater access to home ownership for current residents.

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All residents (current and future) must be fully vested in their homes and the community at large.

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Mindset shift is needed in the community – lack of ownership results in no “pride-ofplace”.

Meeting #2 - September 14, 2017 Columbus Library - Shepard Branch Discussion: •

Plan must address needs of elderly population as they have vested / long-term stake in the community.

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Plan must speak to ability of elderly residents to remain in their home (potential increases in property taxes).

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Address housing needs for homeless students.

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Housing that address needs of population with mental issues.

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Low and middle-income residents need pathway to home ownership (have greater stake in community)

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There exists a disparity between community incomes and actual housing costs (rental and home purchase).

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Need in community for re-entry / transitional housing.

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Define existing barriers to home ownership that currently exist in the community.

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Affordable Housing (2 incomes), LowIncome Housing (HUD / other agency assistance).

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There is a need for additional low-income (multi-family) units within the community.

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Correlation between quality of housing stock and overall neighborhood pride.

DISCUSSION •

Community needs entity to take-over care of homes in which owner dies with no heirs to avoid property falling into disrepair.

Meeting #3 - October 12, 2017 Northern Lights Library

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Agriculture has business opportunity and could help address “food desert” / healthy eating habits within community.

Homeless numbers in community – NDC needs to look up

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Additional discussion required as to how this issue impacts existing / future housing.

Current Non-profits / strategies to encourage home ownership in community: •

Habitat for Humanity

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My Home Program (Sisters of Empowerment)

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Homeport

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Land Contracts as potential avenue to home ownership

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Many young girls with young children are homeless, seen at CelebrateOne.

Transportation to JOBS •

Amazon center east of Columbus has jobs available paying $15-$17/hr.

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COTA to Amazon center 1.5-2 hour round trip – we need a better option, especially with first and last mile transport.

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Other private sources are picking up slack of public transportation – will Amazon provide last mile transport? Ex. Ohio Health Program

Barriers to home ownership: •

Credit

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Maintenance (requires disposable income)

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Income

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Security

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History of non-ownership/mentality •

How do you know how to own a home?

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General naivety regarding home equity and ROI, lack of understanding how increasing home values help homeowners

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MORPC home ownership program

DISCUSSION •

Right size homes aren’t available – need a range (some 2-bedroom, some 4, depending on family size).

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NDC to assess need for low-income units.

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How is neighborhood pride associated with overall housing stock quality?

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Used to take better care of homes, pick up trash, etc.

Developers (Homeport, Habitat, etc.) take ideas to commission, but commission needs to use power to request certain materials and appearance.

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Redo or clarify process for this

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When these organizations attend commission, need to ask questions.

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Abandoned or neglected home legal process is very lengthy, fines don’t always make a difference – how can we amend this?

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Can we create an organization that oversees home repairs and speeds up process for those willing to make improvements?

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NDC housing study needed – what percent of vacant homes are in the land bank?

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Find a strategy for residents or non-typical developers to rehab homes with funds from land bank (right now, these go to larger developers).

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Land bank pricing methodology – includes back taxes, ability to forgive, and estimated value.

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Agriculture Technology and Literacy program is training people to grow food in their own yard to sell, if they make over $1,000 a year they can receive federal funds.

Create inventory of housing abandoned or in disrepair and declare as priority homes – give to those who can and will take care.

Need a balance of old homes and new build (ex. Habitat) homes – market for all.

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New build developers need to ask neighbors about design, potentially residents can create a priority list of what a home needs (ex. Front porches are essential, back porches are more appropriate in the suburbs).

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Wednesday night trainings

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Can we use land bank properties for this?

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Will bring program guidelines next week

Cleveland Avenue needs parking spaces – parking needs to be included in final plan.

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Use vacant properties for parking lot (ex. Property near Ena’s)? Not a garage but needs to be nice, and overseen by an attendant

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Cannot include on-street parking because CMax rapid bus transit

NOTes requires own lane.

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Businesses want on-street parking.

Cleveland Heights has a program for limiting renting and selling of homes without a certain time period passing to maintain stability and proper inspection to maintain quality.

Housing Goals: •

Adequate affordable housing in community.

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Provide avenue for low-income residents to be homeowners.

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Unify look of neighborhood, preserve and enhance.

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Strengthen authority and oversight of commission.

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Reduce number of vacant homes – modify the process.

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Established effort to preserve existing housing stock.

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Provide inclusive housing for special populations (i.e. young families).

NOTES

614.221.5001

Linden@theneighborhood designcenter.org

ourlinden.com