In 2023, Columbus saw nearly 24,000 eviction filings, marking a 12,000-case increase from the previous year. Early 2024 data shows this trend worsening, with evictions reaching a 20-year high in Franklin County.

Across Ohio, landlords initiated almost 108,000 eviction cases in 2023 — the highest since 2015. A major driver behind the surge is sluggish wage growth, which isn't keeping pace with skyrocketing rents. The "housing wage" — what a worker needs to earn per hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment — rose 9% since last year. To afford such a home, full-time workers need an hourly wage of at least $20.81. In Columbus, however, this figure climbs even higher to $25.04 per hour.

With a panel of regional leaders, CMC unpacks why evictions are climbing, the impact on communities when families lose their homes, and the strategies that advocates are leveraging to ensure more Central Ohio families stay housed.

Featuring:

Kate McGarvey, Executive Director, Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio

Shayla D. Favor, Columbus City Council Member and Franklin County Prosecutor-Elect

Gene Edwards, Director of Legal Research and Magistrate, Franklin County Municipal Court,

The moderator is Danae King, Underserved Communities Reporter, The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was sponsored by The Community Shelter Board with support from The Columbus Dispatch.

The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at the Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The Ellis in Columbus' historic Italian Village on December 4, 2024.