TOLEDO, Ohio: The Board of Lucas County Commissioners, representatives from Toledo City Council, and several housing partners voiced support for the Home Matters to Ohio policy platform February 12, 2025 at a press conference held at One Government Center.
The Commissioners and members of Council joined representatives from Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), Lucas County Land Bank, Lucas Metropolitan Housing, Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Toledo, and Cherry Street Mission Ministries to offer support for the policy platform, which has 11 data-driven proposals that would increase the supply of housing across Ohio.
The Commissioners and Toledo City Council both presented resolutions in support of the platform on Tuesday to make Toledo and Lucas County the first government bodies in the state to champion the proposal.
“Communities thrive when residents can afford to drive the local economy,” the Lucas County Commissioners said. “The Home Matters to Ohio platform is a data-driven policy approach that would increase the supply of affordable housing across our state, assist with workforce development, improve the quality of our housing stock, and stimulate the economy of Lucas County. This platform is a game-changer for our community, and we offer our full support.”
“Here in Toledo, we know firsthand the challenges families face when housing costs rise faster than wages, when seniors struggle to stay in their homes, and when too many of our neighbors are forced to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table,” Toledo Council President Carrie Hartman said. “We cannot allow housing insecurity to hold our city back.”
Home Matters to Ohio consists of a coalition of affordable housing advocates and business and industry leaders who share the common goal of facilitating the development and preservation of a range of options that will positively impact housing.
The coalition’s platform objective is to compel the state to support and provide incentives to increase the supply of housing in Ohio.
“Local leaders are doing their part to make sure Lucas County residents can afford a home in their community. But housing cost inflation is a problem that requires action from all levels of government,” Amy Riegel, executive director of the Ohio Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio said. “The Home Matters to Ohio platform outlines a series of realistic actions for state leaders to partner with local governments to tackle the affordable housing crisis that is afflicting every community throughout Ohio.”
“Increasing affordable housing opportunities will take all of us, and county land banks have unique tools to help get this job done. We proudly stand with the Lucas County Commissioners, Mayor Kapszukiewicz, and Toledo City Council to support these needed investments,” David Mann, president and chief executive officer of the Lucas County Land Bank said. “We’re hopeful that the State of Ohio will meet this moment too.”
“Home matters to Cherry Street Mission as daily, we seek to give people a hand-up to safe and affordable housing in their next step out of shelter care,” Ann Ebbert, president of Cherry Street Mission Ministries said. “Without access to housing, people get stuck in the emergency shelter system. We support creating new housing, like we are doing with our partners at LMH (Lucas Metropolitan Housing), so our neighbors can find good places to call home.”
For more information visit the Ohio Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio website at https://cohhio.org/home-matters-to-ohio/