This weeks #GOPCThread takes a look back at our recent webinar series jointly hosted with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy on helping keep residents in their homes during the age of COVID.

Not on Twitter, the thread is available online, as well as below.

Greater Ohio Policy Center Read on Twitter

Today’s #GOPCThread recaps some of the themes explored in our webinar series focused on n'hood stability in the time of COVID. This series was produced in partnership with @landpolicy. If you missed any of the webinars, they can be found below

Philanthropy is responding to COVID in many ways. The Wean Foundation in Warren, formed a new partnership w/2 other local foundations to create a joint application called the Mahoning Valley COVID-19 Response & Stabilization Application #GOPCThread

The joint application allows nonprofit organizations to submit applications to all three of the foundations at once and fast-tracks funding. #GOPCThread

In Findlay Co, the Findlay Hancock Community Foundation convened local community partners to discuss how to best leverage available funding to meet COVID-related housing instability... #GOPCThread

This conversation led to the formation of an eviction prevention task force and $225,000 eviction prevention fund #GOPCThread

It also resulted in a partnership between the Foundation, Affordable Housing Alliance, & Hope House to create a Housing Help Line to centralize the patchwork of funds available #GOPCThread

The helpline connects residents w/ services such as rental & utility relief, case management support, health & food services, & legal aid #GOPCThread

The Columbus, OH Housing Action Fund is a $100 million fund to provide low-interest loans for affordable housing development and is an example of philanthropy joining public and private partners to respond to long-term housing needs in a community #GOPCThread

This effort started before COVID & addresses concerns w/ affordable housing supply that were a problem before the pandemic & will continue to increase during & after #GOPCThread

This fund is managed by the Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County w/ help from
@colsfoundation, @AffordHouse_OH, @Huntington_Bank, @FifthThird, @hbtbank, @PNCBank, NiSourceInc,
@L_Brands, @ParkNationalBnk #GOPCThread

Mission-driven developers are also facing new challenges as a result of COVID & are adapting many of their core operations to respond. @OCCHstrong, an affordable housing lender described several pivots they are making to accommodate borrowers… #GOPCThread

Including creating a resident emergency impact fund, allowing adjusted construction schedules & modifications to accommodate COVID guidelines, granting loan accommodations, reallocating funds, & addressing the digital divide by providing equipment & education. #GOPCThread

@OCCHstrong also shared pivots they have observed service providers & management companies making to adapt to COVID realities #GOPCThread

@PriceHillWill, a community development corporation in Cincinnati, is working hard to maintain trust with the community during COVID & connect residents to services despite COVID-related obstacles. #GOPCThread

They trained residents on how to use zoom, conducted device drives, & helped get Wi-Fi to residents who didn’t have it. This technology helped host free community yoga class, a community festival & youth orchestra program #GOPCThread

To encourage community & spread cheer, sunflower seeds were passed-out around the n’hood. @MyCinci also became a new platform for funneling service delivery to families. They started #PriceHillPorchPics as an effort to take socially-distant family & graduation photos #GOPCThread

@TTownLISC @ToledoLISC Core City Program, which started before the pandemic, addresses existing single-family homes for acquisition & rehab & is designed to help increase property values & neighborhood stability. #GOPCThread

N’hoods of color where other partners & @thelandbank are already working to address blight are targeted for this program. Rising property values can help attract new residents to the core n’hoods & also benefit legacy homeowners by restoring the equity in their homes #GOPCThread

Renter protection ordinances are another strategy being employed to address housing instability in general but are especially relevant during COVID. #GOPCTHread

. @ABLELawInc shared recent examples in Ohio include Dayton, OH’s Rent Receipt Ordinance which requires landlords provide a receipt for rent paid & then shifts the burden of proof of payment from the renter to the landlord if a receipt is not provided… #GOPCThread

and Dayton’s Late Fee Ordinance which puts limits on how much a landlord can charge for late fees. @ABLELawInc #GOPCThread

Source of Income Ordinances can protect renters against discrimination based on the source of the income they use to pay rent. @AmyKlaben discussed how these ordinances are increasingly being adopted around Central Ohio & how advocates can promote them in their community.

@LegalAidCLE spoke about #CLE’s Right to Counsel Ordinance, which became effective last summer & guarantees the right to legal representation for tenants facing eviction with at least one child in the household & living at or below 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines #GOPCThread

In the first six months of the program, 93% of clients were able to avoid eviction or an involuntary move. #GOPCThread

Local government efforts to address COVID-19 were also discussed in this webinar series. In @Springfield_OH planners are working to conduct socially distant community engagement to advance community planning #GOPCThread

They discovered that despite COVID’s obstacles, they could still get planning input by reaching out to youth attending socially distant summer camps #GOPCThread

They also engaged the community with a street painting project that safely brought people together #GOPCThread

Preservation Compact, part of the Community Investment Corporation of Chicago, discussed a proposal devised in partnership with a diversity of stakeholders aimed at maintaining the affordability of naturally occurring affordable rental housing. #GOPCThread

The plan as currently envisioned, proposes the reduction of property tax assessments in exchange for investment in the property & an agreement to keep rents affordable. This program was designed to address strong & weak markets… #GOPCThread

Offering owners the opportunity to self-select into two tiers based on what works best for them. Both tiers incentivize investment & maintain affordability for renters. #GOPCThread

Lima shared their work establishing a Housing Task Force to address n’hood stability & reinvestment. The Task Force is working to identify solutions to improve quality, quantity & availability of housing… #GOPThread

Stabilize & increase population; reduce blight; improve property values; & attract private investment. The housing task force consists of 50 members from banking, economic development, city staff, residents, council members & is divided into 3 subcommittees. #GOPCThread

GOPC wants to thank all our partners who made this webinar series possible. Especially @landpolicy & @CProgressNews. Please find recordings from all these webinars below #GOPCThread