Columbus proposes direct assistance to families in need
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Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios
Columbus leaders are considering a test program to offer $500 a month in direct assistance to residents in need.
Why it matters: Many Columbus residents struggle to make ends meet, even those holding full-time employment.
State of play: If approved by Council, the city will invest $2.5 million into the Economic Mobility Accelerator Program benefitting 200 local households.
- Qualifying residents would need to earn more than the federal poverty level, but less than the Central Ohio cost of living.
- For example, that's $15,060-30,084 annually for an individual or $31,200-91,284 annually for a family of four.
Between the lines: Recipients would also need to participate in one of six job training and career services programs from organizations that will also administer the funds: Alvis, Columbus Urban League, Goodwill Columbus, New Directions Career Center, RISE Center/Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and the United Way of Central Ohio.
- Each participant will receive financial literacy training and a $500 savings account through the Financial Empowerment Center.
By the numbers: People in this group are often referred to as ALICE — asset limited, income constrained, employed — and represented around 1.2 million Ohio households in 2022, according to the United Way.
- Mayor Andrew Ginther estimated in a news release that 44% of households do not pay enough to cover our region's cost of living."
The big picture: In developing this pilot, the city researched similar community programs in states like California, Georgia and Michigan.
What they're saying: Councilwoman Melissa Green, the first licensed social worker on Columbus City Council, hopes the program can be a "stepping stone" to other solutions.
- "A big purpose for what we're trying to achieve through this is to understand what the impact might be in our community. There aren't one-size-fits-all solutions. People are very dynamic," Green tells Axios.
- "So I think we're trying to go into this utilizing evidence-based best practices that we have from across the United States to guide our investment."