Columbus city officials say they will use a new study on central city housing development to stimulate neighborhood revitalization. The Columbus Housing Partnership and city officials asked the private, non-profit Community Research Partners to research how to use limited taxpayer funds in targeted central city areas to help create a tipping point in the real estate market that would bring in private capital.
Community Research Partners Executive Director Roberta Garber says the study identified three things. First, housing itself is not enough. Second, says Garber, scale is important. And third, says Garber, research indicates the central city is not one, big homogenous housing market but is made up of many "micro" markets.
President and C-E-O of the Columbus Housing Partnership, Amy Klaben, says the study confirms how important home ownership is to revitalizing neighbborhoods.
What happens from here? Klaben says discussions are underway with various partners, such as area hospitals, banks and the city's Development Department, to identify new partnerships and the financial tools needed to proceed with inner-city revitialization projects.