ProgressOhio

Late yesterday the Senate Finance Committee unveiled a proposal to balance the $851 million budget deficit which includes cutting the Ohio Housing Trust Fund by $30 million over the next two years.
 
“The Senate wants to cast off our state’s most vulnerable populations at a time when social service programs have already been cut to the bone. The Ohio Housing Trust Fund provides vital resources to operate the state’s homeless shelters and housing assistance programs for low-income families, senior citizens and disabled Ohioans.
 
“Homeless numbers are growing, record foreclosures are being filed, communities are being decimated, and Senate Republicans want a stopgap built on the backs of the poorest among us? It’s an outrageous proposal and a completely unacceptable alternative to filling the budget hole.”

The Ohio Housing Trust Fund is a flexible state funding source that provides affordable housing opportunities, expands housing services, and improves housing conditions for low-income Ohioans.

The Ohio Housing Trust Fund provides funding for a wide range of housing activities including housing development, emergency home repair, handicapped accessibility modifications, and services related to housing and homelessness.

The Fund is targeted to those who need help the most: low-income working Ohioans. A broad range of organizations are eligible to apply for money from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund including local governments, housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, private developers and private lenders.

Housing providers have already taken a big hit on Trust Fund revenue; it's down to $35 million from last year's $53 million. An additional $15 million hit would leave the Fund struggling to cover even the most basic services. For example, currently there's only enough funding to serve 82,000 homeless people through 90 homeless service projects; but even that would be threatened under this proposal.

Homeless numbers are growing, record foreclosures are being filed, communities are being decimated and this is the proposal being offered by Senate leaders? It's an outrageous and completely unacceptable alternative to filling the budget hole. Even if we get past this hurdle, the OHTF is vulnerable to cuts in future budget fix plans. We must remain vigilant to protect the Housing Trust Fund from raids in any budget fix plan.

As Statehouse advocates, we need your help and we need it TODAY. Please call your State Senator and voice your opposition to taking from the Ohio Housing Trust Fund now or ever.

You can find your state senator by clicking here.

We also ask you call Senate President Bill Harris at: 614.466.8086
Senator John Carey, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee at: 614.466.8156