Plan OK'd to bulldoze former United Way for apartment complex
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The former United Way headquarters Downtown will face a bulldozer this spring to make way for a $29 million affordable housing complex.
The Downtown Commission approved on Jan. 28 the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority's plan to replace the 55-year-old headquarters at 360 S. Third St. with a five-story apartment building. Called 'AspireColumbus,' the housing complex will predominantly serve middle- and low-wage earning families, as well as those with disabilities. Watch a previous NBC4 report on the proposal in the video player above.
Happy Greek in the Short North closes after 20 years
'Downtown Columbus is increasingly becoming a magnet for people of all income levels looking for a place to call home,' said Scott Scharlach, the housing authority's chief operating officer. 'CMHA is committed to ensuring affordable housing options will exist for residents to live, work and play downtown, and the new AspireColumbus site is a perfect location to help make that dream happen.'
Plans call for the complex to be home to 82 units, including a mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments. After the former United Way building is demolished, construction is set to begin this summer with a tentative grand opening scheduled for 2026.
Of the 82 apartments, 31 will be rent-subsidized by the authority's Housing Choice Voucher Program. Residents in those units are anticipated to be at 30% of the area's median income, which in metro Columbus is an annual income of about $21,700 for an individual and $27,900 for a family of three. The housing authority plans for 12 apartments to be at market rate.
New attraction, restaurant coming to Zoombezi Bay this summer
The Downtown Commission also approved on Jan. 28 the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts' plan to construct a new music hall in the building previously home to the Central Presbyterian Church at 132 S. Third St. The association purchased the property in 2012 and has long-planned a major renovation of the church building.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
14 hours ago
- USA Today
Trump budget proposal could tighten access to housing vouchers in Nevada
Trump budget proposal could tighten access to housing vouchers in Nevada More than 15,000 households in Nevada rely on federally funded housing vouchers, with thousands more waiting years to access vital rental assistance. Representatives from the local housing authorities worry many would be locked out of vouchers and other assistance under President Donald Trump's proposed budget, which calls for billions of dollars in cuts to housing programs. 'Based on our current average monthly subsidy in our Housing Choice Voucher Program, we've estimated that for every million-dollar reduction in housing assistance, it would be approximately 93 fewer households that we would be able to serve,' said Dr. Hilary Lopez, the executive director for the Reno Housing Authority. An estimated 15,300 people in Nevada rely on housing choice vouchers, formerly known as section 8 vouchers, which provide rental assistance subsidies for low-income people, seniors and people with disabilities, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The number doesn't include other types of specialized vouchers, such as emergency solutions housing vouchers designed to pay rent for people and families at risk or experiencing homelessness. Another 2,500 people live in public housing throughout the state, according to data from CBPP. Trump's budget requests, which have been formed into the 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' were passed overwhelmingly by House Republicans in late May and are currently being debated in the Senate. The proposal, which aims to slash Medicaid and food assistance programs, would reduce the Department of Housing and Urban Development's budget by more than 40% amid a national housing and homeless crisis. The cuts to homeless assistance dollars include a $27 billion reduction in funding to the State Rental Assistance Block Grant, which funds housing vouchers. The recommendations released by the White House in May said the proposed cuts 'would encourage States to provide funding to share in the responsibility to ensure that similar levels of recipients can benefit from the block grant.' If these proposed cuts are approved it 'would be staggering in both scale and impact,' Renee Willis, the president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a press call last week. 'Rather than preserving and strengthening the federal rental assistance program that serves as a lifeline for these communities, the budget proposed consolidating HUD's five largest rental assistance programs into a single state-run block grant,' Willis said. 'It also imposed a two-year time limit on assistance.' She added that the budget proposal is not only 'misguided but fundamentally unjust' but that it 'abdicates the government's responsibility to address poverty and housing stability.' While the full scope of these cuts, or the state and local impact of reductions, has yet to be determined, social service providers and local governments fear any cuts to HUD funding would reduce Nevada's already fragile social safety net to tatters. The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority declined to answer questions about the proposed budget cuts as well as how it currently used federal funding dollars. 'While federal funding changes are uncertain at this time, we remain laser focused on our mission to provide safe, sanitary and affordable housing to eligible residents within our jurisdictions – housing that will provide an environment that fosters independence, self-sufficiency and community pride,' Lewis Jordan, executive director of the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority said in a statement. Bill Brewer, the executive director for the Nevada Rural Housing Authority, said he is still waiting to see what the final budget will look like. Any amount would mean less people in rural areas being served. 'Worst case scenario, if we took a 40% cut to our vouchers, then we would be looking at cutting about 500 households off of assistance out of our approximately 1,275 voucher holders,' he said. 'If it was just 12% or 10%, then we're still looking at losing 120 to 130 households' 'They'll simply lose their support' The Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority currently oversees the lion's share of housing assistance, around 12,000 vouchers for low income residents. Reno Housing Authority, which provides assistance throughout Washoe County, allocated around 2,094 housing choice vouchers last year. Nevada Rural Housing Authority oversaw about 1,100 vouchers, not including specialized housing assistance. Reno Housing Authority relies on two main federal funding sources: $32 million from the federal government to provide housing vouchers along with $3 million to administer public housing. 'It does fluctuate on an annual basis and really depends upon federal appropriations,' Lopez said. Of the more than 2,000 households – roughly 3,600 people – that rely on housing choice vouchers in the Reno area, Lopez said close to three-quarters of clients who receive housing choice vouchers are seniors or disabled households. The breakdown is similar for the 600 households living in a public housing unit. Average income for those relying on housing vouchers is roughly $18,000, according to the authority's 2025 annual report. Nevada's housing shortage and skyrocketing rent prices have made it difficult for the authority to meet the demand for services, Lopez said. 'Over the last several years, we've seen those rents consistently rise,' Lopez said. 'What that means is that the average rental subsidy that we're providing has also been increasing over time and that also impacts the number of clients that we can assist.' The rural authority gets about $12 million for its housing choice vouchers, which funds its 1,077 vouchers throughout the rural areas. Additionally it received last year $786,340 for Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers, which provides assistance for 76 veterans experiencing homelessness. Similar to the Reno authority, Brewer said roughly two-thirds of housing voucher recipients are elderly or disabled. 'They're not the kind of folks that can go out and get a job and take care of themselves,' he said. 'They're already living on Social Security or supplemental Social Security, and they simply can't afford a $1,500 a month rent payment. That's all the money they get in most cases.' Demand for housing assistance is growing. Reno's authority has about 4,000 people waiting to apply for housing vouchers while the rural authorities have 2,248 applicants waiting. 'What we try to do for households on our wait list, we try to serve them within anywhere from about 18 to 36 months,' Lopez said. The waitlist in rural Nevada opened last year and 'within a week's time, we had about 5,000 applicants on there,' according to Brewer. 'We had to close the list.' 'It will take us at least two years, if not longer, to work through that list,' he added. 'I think we still have a couple thousand names on there that we will work through.' Nevadans wait an average of 38 months, more than three years, to receive housing vouchers, according to 2021 data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In addition to housing choice vouchers, communities across the country, including those in Nevada, also began receiving funding for emergency housing vouchers through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 signed by President Joe Biden. Funding for that is expected to be depleted by the end of 2026. Willis from the National Low Income Housing Coalition said Trump's current budget request doesn't provide additional funding for these emergency vouchers and could 'put more than 60,000 households at risk of losing their assistance and being pushed into homelessness.' The rural authority received $455,616 for Emergency Housing Vouchers, which support 36 people. Washoe County previously told the Nevada Current 137 people rely on emergency housing vouchers in the county. In a 'normal year,' Brewer said the rural authority would just roll people relying on emergency housing voucher holders 'onto a regular Section 8 voucher.' He doesn't know if that would be possible if the proposed cuts are passed. 'If our voucher program overall is cut, we won't have any room to bring those people on to the (housing choice) vouchers,' he said. 'They'll simply lose their support.'
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
As Ohio budget process continues, educators, parents push for school funding
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — State lawmakers are working on the budget and the Ohio House and Senate disagree on public school funding. The House version of the state budget was criticized by school districts and the Ohio Education Association. The Senate's version would increase the total amount of money going to public schools, but some said it still isn't enough. Ohio State announces every student will use AI in class Despite the changes, local education leaders said they are still disappointed in the Senate's version. 'For us, bottom line is that public schools in Ohio are still shortchanged by the funding formula as being proposed by the Senate,' Scott DiMauro, president of the Ohio Education Association, said. The Fair School Funding Plan was created in 2021 to make sure public schools get enough money. DiMauro said the Senate's version includes the Fair School Funding Plan but does not update cost information based on inflation. 'If you have schools that are just short-funded, it means an increase in class sizes. It could mean a reduction in course offerings, cuts in other kinds of services. That's not good for kids,' DiMauro said. Westerville City Schools Treasurer Nicole Marshall said the state currently pays for 38% of the cost of public education while property taxpayers cover the rest. Marshall said it should be a 50-50 split. Dispensary reacts to Ohio marijuana limit changes 'I would venture to guess that our state share will continue to drop over the biennium under the Senate's proposal, which would mean that our community would be asked to pick up more of the share of the cost to educate students in our district,' Marshall said. With the Fair School Funding Plan not fully implemented in the Senate's version of the budget, Marshall said districts across Ohio are not able to adequately prepare for the future. 'We need to be able to understand what we'll have available so that we know what students, what services and programs will be able to offer to our students in the future,' Marshall said. Ryan Wynia, a parent of three students at Big Walnut Local School District, said he has been going to some of the hearings on the state budget. He said he is worried about how the Senate version could impact not only his kids, but students across Ohio. Parents of fallen Morrow County deputy speak out as suspect awaits new court date 'As a parent, I'm very frustrated. We've been waiting for the fair school funding plan to be funded,' Wynia said. 'The biggest fear that I have is kids not having what they need to make their way for the future.' DiMauro, Marshall and Wynia all said they are optimistic that the Senate's version of the state budget could change and improve before it is passed by the end of June. They all said they believe legislators will listen. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Family owned central Ohio steakhouse closes Gahanna location
GAHANNA, Ohio (WCMH) — A family owned steakhouse that has operated in central Ohio for nearly 40 years is closing one of its restaurants. The Hickory House announced it is closing the Gahanna location at 550 Officenter Place after 22 years. The Gahanna spot was opened in 2003 by founder Tony Torchia and longtime friend Don Pinnell. Ohio State announces every student will use AI in class The original Reynoldsburg location at 7051 East Main Street is staying open. 'While Gahanna is closing its doors, the original Reynoldsburg location is here to stay and stronger than ever,' owners Chad and Dawn Hunter wrote in a statement. No reason was given for the closure. The restaurant was founded in 1978 in Reynoldsburg by Torchia and Jim Alexander. Torchia's nephew Jimmy served as the general manager of the Gahanna location, and his daughter Dawn is a co-owner of the Reynoldsburg spot with her husband, Chad. Nissan, Walmart dial back Stonewall Columbus sponsorships for Pride 2025 The Hickory House menu boasts choice cut beef along with only center cut filets, ribeyes, and New York strips. They also include a wide selection of soups, chicken, sandwiches, and barbeque. The Hickory House in Reynoldsburg is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; Friday and Saturday operating hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
