LIMA, OH (WLIO) - They are finding out there are no easy answers for the housing issue that Ohio and the nation are facing.
Today(12/11/23), the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Housing was in Lima holding hearings. Dozens of regional representatives from municipalities, development groups, financial institutions, and others testified in front of the committee. The topic was the lack of quality, affordable housing. The committee has been traveling the state holding hearings to get a better understanding of what Ohioans are facing when it comes to housing and how the state may be able to help.
"If the state were to put together resources then it would be something that would allow local communities, local governments to be able to access at their level for whatever it is they needed. If it's infrastructure improvements then they could access those grant dollars for that. If it's for training and technical assistance, they can potentially access grant dollars for that. So we're looking at what role we can play effectively but allowing people and local governments to be able to use those resources the way they see fit," stated Senator Michele Reynolds, chair on the Senate Select Committee on Housing.
Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith along with several others testified about the condition of the aging housing stock in the city. Other concerns include the market rate for purchasing a home and that 30% of Lima residents are considered severely cost-burdened, spending more than 50% of their income on housing. All say that something needs to be done.
"Strategies and solutions that show that we can provide housing for all in our community. It's not a but/for approach but it is a and/and what else can we do approach when it comes to housing," commented Mayor Sharetta Smith, City of Lima.
Senator Reynolds says they will take in all the testimony from each of the hearings and hopefully have some recommendations out by February or March.
