Let’s Connect

Every day, those of us in the housing industry witness the pressing need for middle-income housing to support Central Ohio’s seniors and workforce. To better understand and address this challenge, OHIP has partnered with The Ohio State University’s City and Regional Planning Department to collect data and identify market gaps. The findings will be shared here by Summer 2026.

Central Ohio is experiencing unprecedented growth—adding nearly 2.5 jobs for every new housing unit—and faces a widening supply gap as the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio projects 726,000 new residents over the next 25 years even while the state’s population declines. Other major cities that fell behind on housing production—San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville, and Charlotte—offer a cautionary example: when middle‑income households cannot find housing within their means, affordability crises and homelessness rise and the entire housing continuum is strained. Regional leaders have recognized the scale of the challenge, calling for 200,000 new housing units in the next decade as the population surpasses 3.1 million; Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has pledged to deliver roughly half of that within city limits while advancing a coordinated Regional Housing Strategy with neighboring municipalities. Initiatives like ZoneIn and COTA’s LinkUs are unlocking opportunities for density and walkable, transit‑connected communities, and OHIP is focused on securing housing for middle‑income seniors and workforce families (60–120% of AMI) who are increasingly squeezed by rising rents and limited supply. Without deliberate intervention, these residents risk being priced out, amplifying pressure on lower‑income households and undermining regional stability. Recognizing housing as essential economic infrastructure, OHIP is committed to preserving affordability and ensuring Central Ohio’s growth remains inclusive, resilient, and competitive.

We’re committed to expanding access to affordable, high-quality homes for the “missing middle” — the essential workers, families, and seniors who are priced out of many markets. Our approach brings together three powerful innovations:

1. Smarter construction and operations technologies that lower costs and speed up delivery.

2. Thoughtful neighborhood and urban design that creates walkable communities with easy access to daily amenities, reducing transportation expenses and encouraging public transit use.

3. Creative financing models that make renting or owning a home truly attainable.