The annual point-in-time count of homeless people in Columbus and Franklin County emergency shelters showed an 18% decrease over the past year, which an official attributed to the eviction moratorium and enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The number of people in shelters the night of Jan. 27 was 1,201, down 265 from the 1,466 the year before, said Michelle Heritage, executive director of the Community Shelter Board.
That includes a decrease in the number of family members too, from 555 to 391. Family members include any adults and children under 18. We think this eviction moratorium has had a positive impact, Heritage said.
Saturday mornings were not always relaxed in Mary Howard’s youth.
“My mother would take us to nursing homes to visit residents, so we didn’t always stay in jammies and watch cartoons,” said Howard, the executive director of Ohio State University East Hospital. “It didn’t take long for me to see how those visits impacted their lives, and that really cultivated in me a passion for caregiving.”
Howard is one of seven women being honored this year as YWCA Women of Achievement. In its 36th year, the award is given to women not only for their work, but also exemplifying YWCA Columbus’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.
Security Deposit Alternatives: The Misleading Marketing of Renter s Choice
Dozens of cities and states are considering legislation allowing alternatives to upfront security deposits, such as security deposit insurance. The only problem? It s not actually insurance. December 17, 2020, 11am PST | LM Ortiz Share
In January, Cincinnati became the first city to pass a Renter s Choice law, which requires that landlords accept alternatives to the traditional lump-sum security deposit. Atlanta followed suit in early October, and elected officials in at least 10 other cities and states across the country, from Alabama to California, have proposed similar legislation.
On the face of it, allowing alternatives to upfront security deposits should be a good thing. As many housing advocates know well, high upfront moving costs act as a barrier to securing affordable housing for low- and middle-income renters, and can even keep people homeless. When you include first month’s rent,