Housing That Works for Everyone

Central Ohio is growing—but our housing supply isn’t keeping pace.

For every 2.5 jobs created in the region, just one new home is built. The result is a widening gap that’s driving up costs, pushing working families farther from jobs, and putting stable housing out of reach for too many. If current trends continue, demand is expected to outstrip supply by the end of this decade—reshaping who can afford to live, work, and stay in the region.

At the same time, the challenge is more complex than supply alone. Housing is deeply connected to economic mobility, workforce growth, transportation, and long-standing inequities rooted in policy decisions that still shape our neighborhoods today. And while Columbus has made historic investments and laid out an ambitious strategy to build, preserve, and expand housing opportunities, leaders agree: the city cannot solve this alone.

In this in-depth conversation, Charles Hillman, President & CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, joins Michael Wilkos, Vice President of Community Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio, to explore what’s really driving the housing crisis—and what it will take to address it at scale.
From affordability and zoning to regional coordination and public-private partnerships, we examine the tough tradeoffs and urgent decisions facing Central Ohio. What’s working? What’s not? And what happens if we don’t move fast enough?

Featuring Charles Hillman, President & CEO, The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority with moderator Michael Wilkos, Vice President of Community Engagement, The United Way of Central Ohio.