Michael Wilkos\, Vice President of Communi ty Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio\, will moderate an expert pane l on the housing market and the necessity for affordable housing around Ce ntral Ohio as Columbus continues to grow and develop. According to a 2024 Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) study\, the Central Ohio reg ion 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 additi onal households. Learn about the current state of the housing market aroun d Columbus\, who is benefitting and who is being left out of current housi ng trends\, and how we can plan for affordable housing initiatives that wi ll be vital to accommodate Central Ohio's growing population.
\nCuri ous to learn how the central Ohio housing market became so expensive so qu ickly? Want to better understand the current state of affordable housing a round 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 Oh io's leading experts on affordable housing and development.
\nTh e Next Chapter series is presented in partnership with United Way of Centr al Ohio and the City of Bexley.
\nAbout the Panelists:< /strong>
\nMichael Wilkos is the Vice President of Community Engagement at United Way of Central Ohio. His team develops effe ctive strategies to improve our communities. Prior to joining United Way\, Michael was Director of Community Research at The Columbus Foundation. Du ring 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 t he Columbus Foundation\, Michael served as Senior Impact Director and Dire ctor of Neighborhood Development at United Way of Central Ohio.
\nCarlie Boos \;is the Executive Director of the Affordab
le Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. In her role\, she provides leadership
and strategic direction to members\, stakeholders\, and the local communi
ty to expand affordable housing resources. Previously\, Carlie served as C
ommunity &\; Economic Development counsel at the Legal Aid Society of C
olumbus. While there\, she provided comprehensive legal\, logistical\, and
financial advice to organizations that make an impact in Columbus neighbo
rhoods. She also has extensive experience in policy and program developmen
t\, having worked at the Ohio Housing Finance Agency where she developed t
he 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 Opportunit
y Fund.
Leah Evans \;is President &\; CEO of Homeport. She oversees the financing\, development\, and implementation of Homeport&rsquo\;s neighborhood revitalization initiatives\, including new construction and rehabilitation of for-sale single-family housing proj ects\, owner-occupied rehabilitation projects\, and community beautificati on and improvement projects. She takes tremendous pride in being part of a n organization that has impacted thousands of lives over the past 30 years . Evans holds a Master of Arts degree in City &\; Regional Planning fro m The Ohio State University. Before joining Homeport in 2013\, she worked for the City of Gahanna and the Ohio Department of Development (now the Oh io Development Services Agency). She is most proud of the business owners she has worked with\, the homeowners she has helped\, and the youth she ha s tutored\, mentored\, and coached.
\nErin 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 proje cts. She most recently served as the director of community development in the Department of Planning\, Architecture and Real Estate at The Ohio Stat e University\, where she oversaw the revitalization of Weinland Park &ndas h\; including the addition of nearly 500 affordable housing units &ndash\; and the 7.5-acre redevelopment of the 15th Avenue and High Street interse ction. 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&rsquo\;s Economic and Planning Department . She holds a master&rsquo\;s degree in city and regional planning from Th e Ohio State University and a bachelor&rsquo\;s degree in Philosophy from Bowling Green State University.
\nIf you would like to recei ve an email reminder about this event\, please register. Join us in person \, or livestream this program on \;BPL's YouTube channel.
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