Every person should have access to housing. We need 28,000 more affordable houses in Cincinnati. Cincinnati shelters are consistently over capacity. People should be able to without fear of losing housing. Families with children, single adults, couples & youth living in shelter, doubled-up & bouncing, in unsafe situation or outside all deserve safe, secure affordable housing.
At 3PM on October 2, 2019 UNC gathered in solidarity with other organizations to support the movement for affordable housing. At Laurel Park park we joined a Community Cookout with nonprofit service organizations like Caracole, Tender Mercies, Lighthouse Youth and Family Services, Bethany House Services, Shelterhouse, Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati, advocacy groups like the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition and Affordable Housing Advocates, religious organizations like the Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati, New Prospect Baptist Church, First United Church of Christ, Christ Church Cathedral and a number of other organizations.
"Too often homeless families are invisible," says Susan Schiller of a family shelter Bethany House. "But the numbers are real and the needs are great." The shelter serves more than 300 families a year, including 800 children. Schiller says 57 percent of families who call shelters in Cincinnati are turned away due to lack of capacity.
Cincinnati's fund currently has roughly $611,000 in it. Enough for possibly seven units of housing— or less. A citywide ballot initiative would direct Cincinnati to put $50 million to $100 million in its affordable housing trust fund every year. This fund could help prevent homelessness."It took the city of Cincinnati nearly 30 years to establish the housing trust fund," Over-the-Rhine Community Housing Executive Director Mary Burke Rivers said. "We're grateful for that, but we're not going to wait another 30 years to have it funded properly." There is an estimated 28,000-unit gap in housing affordable to low-income people in Cincinnati and a 40,000-unit deficit across Hamilton County.
After eating, singing, and making signs people gathered together to walk and sing towards City Hall. Nonprofits and housing advocates planned to urge city elected officials to set aside more funds for affordable housing, but the city council meeting was moved, last minute, to a different time. So when we arrived at city hall, people took turns sharing their perspective on affordable housing.
For help contact:
St. Vincent De Paul
513-562-8842
https://www.svdpcincinnati.org/Get_Help/
(Manages the City’s eviction prevention fund)
Community Action Agency
513-569-1840
Seven Hills Neighborhood Houses
513-407-5362
(Specific to West End residents)
Legal Aid
513-241-9400
United Way’s 211
Dial 2-1-1