Building Inclusive Communities is an initiative to advance understanding of the need for inclusive housing in our region, especially as we address inclusivity in the workplace. Central Ohio has been the only region in Ohio experiencing population growth for several decades, while housing production at all price levels has not kept up with demand. In Autumn 2021 we held a series of conversations to begin a year-long dialogue about how Central Ohio can become a region where everyone has the opportunity to decide where they would like to live, work, play and raise their family.

Building Inclusive Communities:
A Conversation on the Critical Role of Housing

Monday, June 13, 2022

Access to housing is an increasing challenge in our region, impacting our economic competitiveness and threatening our future success. Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler welcomed a registered crowd of nearly 70 to a hybrid event at the Bexley Public Library for a timely panel discussion on the critical role of housing in achieving successful and inclusive, mixed income communities. 

Panelists:

• Rachel Kleit, Associate Dean and Professor, OSU City & Regional Planning

• Kim Campbell, Director of Admissions & Recruitment, Mount Carmel College of Nursing

The panel was moderated by Carlie Boos, Executive Director of Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio.

Building Inclusive Communities:
History of Worthington's planning and development

Jointly presented with the Worthington Historical Society and the City of Worthington.

May 18, 2022

On May 18 an enthusiastic audience gathered both in person at the McConnell Art Center and via online streaming to learn about how Worthington, an Ohio "New England Village," became a modern suburban municipality, its growth from 300 people in the 19th Century to nearly 15,000 today, and its prospects for housing in the future.  

Kate LaLonde, Director of the Worthington Historical Society spoke about Worthington's early history and planning and shared fascinating historical maps and images. The City of Worthington's Director of Planning & Building Lee Brown addressed Worthington's planning processes and how a variety of neighborhoods were created in the 20th Century.  Bernadette Hanlon, OSU Professor of City and Regional Planning brought in the national context, housing trends, and options for the future.  Worthington City Council member Beth Kowalczyk moderated the program and the Q&A session.  

The audience learned that in addition to specific historical events such as Worthington's connection to Columbus via electric trolley in 1893, Worthington's growth followed a national pattern of population expansion. Most of Worthington's growth happened in the second half of the 20th Century. There are both hopeful trends that Worthington could include in its planning, such as accessory dwelling units, smaller homes on smaller lots, and multi-family and mixed income development.  These would increase the range of housing affordability in Worthington  There are also potentially negative possibilities, such as tearing down smaller homes to build larger ones, which can have a detrimental impact on housing affordability in a community.

Housing Affordability 101

Presented in partnership with the City of Worthington, Worthington community organizations, & the City of Bexley

March 30, 2022 (Virtual, 7 pm)

Housing affordability is an increasing challenge in our region. It is impacting our economic competitiveness and threatens our future success. We need to answer the question of what we can do to help address this problem before it becomes even more difficult. The session featured Carlie Boos, Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, who helped us understand the myths and realities of housing affordability, examples of initiatives from other communities that have worked, what the enablers are to solve our challenges, and who should be responsible for helping with the solutions.

Erase the Space:
Cross-community exchange for adults

What future do we want for our children in Central Ohio?

To answer this question, Building Inclusive Communities and Move to PROSPER joined with Erase the Space for a six-session cross-community adult exchange online in January and February, 2022. All parents, teachers, and other adult stakeholders in Central Ohio schools were invited to participate. Over six weeks we wrestled with the question “What future do we want for our children in central Ohio?” Each participant was teamed up with three other people from different central Ohio communities to engage in conversation, shared learning, and collaborative reimagining for the six week experience.

Six Week Schedule: January & February 2022

Jan. 24: Design Thinking, Dr. Melissa Crum, Mosaic Education Network
Jan. 31: Addressing Conflict, Dr. Melissa Crum. Mosaic Education Network
Feb. 7: The Making of Metropolitan Inequality, Part I, Glennon Sweeney, The Kirwan Institute
Feb. 14: The Making of Metropolitan Inequality, Part II, Glennon Sweeney, The Kirwan Institute
Feb. 21: What it Means to Reimagine, the Move to PROSPER team
Feb. 28: Why Change is Challenging, Kathy Fox, Building Inclusive Communities, and Reimagining: group work to create solutions.

All Sides with Ann Fisher

Building Inclusive Communities:
Key to the Success of Our Region

September 23, 2021 WOSU Public-Affairs Talk Show (89.7 FM Radio or Online, 10:00-11:00 am)

Host: Ann Fisher

National Speaker: Rick Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation

Panelists:
Rick Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation
Amy Klaben, esq., affordable housing expert and Move to PROSPER project facilitator
Tehani Morales, Move to PROSPER parent
Gina Smith, Move to PROSPER coach

Listen to the recording any time by clicking “Listen” below.

Building Inclusive Communities:
Can Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Efforts Succeed Without Inclusive Neighborhoods?

September 29, 2021, Morning Roundtable (Virtual, 8:30-10:00 am)

National Speaker: Rick Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation, who has written about Move to PROSPER.

Moderator: Steve Francis, President and Lead Strategist at Franchise D&I Solutions

Panelists:
Catherine Kennedy, Columbus Communities Coalition for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Shiloh Todorov, Move to PROSPER
Judy Sonnett, Managing Partner, The Center for Leadership and Innovation

Building Inclusive Communities:
Why It Matters

September 29, 2021 Columbus Metropolitan Club Forum (Live Streamed on YouTube, 12:00-1:00 pm)

National Speaker: Richard Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation

Moderator: Kim Campbell, Mount Carmel College of Nursing

Panelists:
Calvin Cooper, CEO & Co-Founder, Rhove
Lori Ann Feibel, President, Bexley City Council

Building Inclusive Communities:
Is Housing the Key Ingredient?

September 29, 2021, Afternoon Roundtable (Virtual, 4:00-5:30 pm)

National Speaker: Rick Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation whose research and writing is at the intersection of housing, economic, and educational success.

Moderator: Kathy Fox, Community Strategy Partners

Panelists:
Carlie Boos, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
James Chaffin, Vice Chair, WeRISE Westerville
Matt Gregory, President, Building Worthington’s Future
Kerstin Carr, Director, Planning & Sustainabiity, MORPC

Resources

Recommended or Provided by Speakers and Others

Maps

Richard Kahlenberg’s Housing Comparison Maps
MORPC - Housing & Race Maps
Housing Analysis - Jason Reece, PhD

Recommended by Panelists

Freedom to Discriminate: How Realtors Conspired to Segregate Housing and Divide America
by Gene Slater
ISBN: 978-1597145435

Neighborhood Defenders: Participatory Politics and America's Housing Crisis
by Katherine Levine Einstein
ISBN: 978-1108477277

Advice from Our Experts

Published quarterly
Advice from Our Experts, Fall 2021

Works by Richard Kahlenberg

School Integration Is Popular. We Can Make It More So. (tcf.org)
by Halley Potter, Stefan Lallinger, Michelle Burris, Rchard Kahlenberg and Alex Edwards
Hearing from Low-Wage Working Mothers: How a Housing Program in Ohio Connects Children to Better Schools (tcf.org)
The Ugly History of Single-Family Zoning Resurfaces (tcf.org)
How Minneapolis Ended Single-Family Zoning (tcf.org)
Updating the Fair Housing Act to Make Housing More Affordable (tcf.org)

Articles

True Affordable Housing Can Change Lives
by Cliff Wiltshire, Worthington Spotlight