A new home for human trafficking survivors
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An exterior perspective of Harriet's Hope, an apartment complex opening Friday to survivors of human trafficking. Rendering: Courtesy of CVS Health
A first-of-its-kind residential community for human trafficking survivors opens this week in Columbus, offering in-house wraparound services, employment opportunities and affordable rent.
Why it matters: Harriet's Hope will help residents rebuild their lives, its organizers say — and make the difficult process a little easier by providing safe, stable housing.
- Ohio ranks sixth highest for cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and tackling the problem has been a priority for Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who launched a Human Trafficking Initiative in 2019.
- Last month, Gov. Mike DeWine called a lack of emergency housing "one of the biggest gaps in Ohio's human trafficking response."
The latest: The apartment complex's first residents move in Friday, officials announced yesterday at a press conference.
- They'll pay 30% of their adjusted gross income toward rent. The rest is covered via Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority vouchers.
By the numbers: The $15.6 million facility, named after abolitionist Harriet Tubman, will feature 47 one-bedroom and five two-bedroom units.
- The bulk of the funding, a $10.6 million investment, came from CVS Health. Several businesses, organizations and governmental entities covered remaining costs.
Of note: The building's exact location is not being disclosed for residents' safety.
Zoom in: Beacon 360° Management, a local nonprofit housing developer, will manage and coordinate services at Harriet's Hope, including job-skills training through area nonprofits Columbus Works and Freedom a la Cart.
- Alvis Inc. will supply recovery-specific services and The Salvation Army will provide trauma-informed case management.
What she's saying: Beacon CEO Celia Kendall said the idea for Harriet's Hope came from an encounter with a pregnant 27-year-old being trafficked out of a Chicago motel, while Kendall was doing street outreach with a nonprofit there.
- "The thing that bothered me the most is I could've helped, but I had no place to put her," Kendall recalled.
- "Out of that experience ... came this desire to do something about this and the way that this crime affects people in our community."
To report suspected human trafficking, call local police or the 24-hour National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.