(The Center Square) – The number of Ohioans spending more on housing continues to grow since the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report shows.
The 2023 Ohio Housing Needs Assessment by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency showed more than 1 million Ohioans spend more than half of their income, including nearly 708,000 renters and almost 326,000 homeowners.
According to the Coalition of Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, those numbers show a large portion of the state’s workforce lives at risk of eviction and a greater need for affordable housing options.
“People need a safe, decent, affordable home to live to raise families, go to school, hold down a job, or age in place,” said Amy Riegel, coalition executive director. “Expanding access to affordable housing is a prerequisite for Ohio’s future prosperity.”
In 2021, 25% of Ohio renters spent at least half their income on housing, up from a record low of 23% in 2019, according to the report. Also, the report said there were 447,717 extremely low-income renters in Ohio, with 177,318 rental homes affordable and available.
The report also said rent is now higher than in any other year than 2021.
The new data comes a little more than a month after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state’s new budget that includes a new state housing tax credit program the state expects to create 4,000 more rental units.
“We commend the governor and Legislature for taking the first step toward addressing housing insecurity in the new budget,” Riegel said. “But this report shows we still have a long way to go to create stable housing for families, seniors, and people with disabilities who are spending over half their income on rent. We look forward to working with state leaders to plot a future where all children in Ohio have a safe, stable place to call home.”
