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Next Chapter: Planning for the Future of Housing in Columbus

A Conversation on Affordable Housing in Central Ohio

Michael Wilkos, VP of Community Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio, returns to moderate a panel on the housing market and the importance of affordable housing as Columbus continues to develop.

Michael Wilkos, Vice President of Community Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio, will moderate an expert panel on the housing market and the necessity for affordable housing around Central Ohio as Columbus continues to grow and develop. According to a 2024 Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) study, the Central Ohio region is on track to reach nearly 3.15 million residents by 2050, a growth of 726,000 new residents, that will require a minimum of 272,000 additional households. Learn about the current state of the housing market around Columbus, who is benefitting and who is being left out of current housing trends, and how we can plan for affordable housing initiatives that will be vital to accommodate Central Ohio's growing population.

Curious to learn how the central Ohio housing market became so expensive so quickly? Want to better understand the current state of affordable housing around Columbus and how we can solve one of the most critical issues facing our region? Join us for an engaging discussion from a panel of central Ohio's leading experts on affordable housing and development.

The Next Chapter series is presented in partnership with United Way of Central Ohio and the City of Bexley.

About the Panelists:

Michael Wilkos is the Vice President of Community Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio. His team develops effective strategies to improve our communities. Prior to joining United Way, Michael was Director of Community Research at The Columbus Foundation. During his tenure at the foundation, he initiated, led, and managed more than $9 million in competitive grant-making to support holistic community revitalization in Weinland Park, an effort to stabilize and revitalize a mixed-income community near The Ohio State University. Before working at the Columbus Foundation, Michael served as Senior Impact Director and Director of Neighborhood Development at United Way of Central Ohio.

Carlie Boos is the Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. In her role, she provides leadership and strategic direction to members, stakeholders, and the local community to expand affordable housing resources. Previously, Carlie served as Community & Economic Development counsel at the Legal Aid Society of Columbus. While there, she provided comprehensive legal, logistical, and financial advice to organizations that make an impact in Columbus neighborhoods. She also has extensive experience in policy and program development, having worked at the Ohio Housing Finance Agency where she developed the Qualified Allocation Plan, oversaw the Ohio and National Housing Trust Fund allocation plans, led issue-specific initiatives like youth housing and assisted living finance, and created the FHAct50 Building Opportunity Fund.

Leah Evans is President & CEO of Homeport. She oversees the financing, development, and implementation of Homeport’s neighborhood revitalization initiatives, including new construction and rehabilitation of for-sale single-family housing projects, owner-occupied rehabilitation projects, and community beautification and improvement projects. She takes tremendous pride in being part of an organization that has impacted thousands of lives over the past 30 years. Evans holds a Master of Arts degree in City & Regional Planning from The Ohio State University. Before joining Homeport in 2013, she worked for the City of Gahanna and the Ohio Department of Development (now the Ohio Development Services Agency). She is most proud of the business owners she has worked with, the homeowners she has helped, and the youth she has tutored, mentored, and coached.

Erin Prosser is the Deputy Director of Housing Strategies for the City of Columbus. She brings nearly two decades of public and private sector experience leading the planning, development and engagement for numerous high-profile projects. She most recently served as the director of community development in the Department of Planning, Architecture and Real Estate at The Ohio State University, where she oversaw the revitalization of Weinland Park – including the addition of nearly 500 affordable housing units – and the 7.5-acre redevelopment of the 15th Avenue and High Street intersection. Prior to her time with the university, she worked as a planner at MKSK Studios, a multi-disciplinary design and planning firm, and served as a planner for Franklin County’s Economic and Planning Department. She holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Bowling Green State University.

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