Ginther, housing leaders lay out $1.9 billion Columbus bond package ahead of Nov. 4 vote

Mayor Andrew J. Ginther and housing leaders at a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum outlined details of a five-measure, $1.9 billion municipal bond package that will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot as Issues 5–9, saying the bonds would finance affordable housing, parks, public safety, utilities and other capital needs without raising property taxes.

Ginther told the audience the package would commit $500 million for neighborhood development and affordable housing, $400 million for public service projects, $500 million for public utilities, $250 million for recreation and parks, and $250 million for safety, health and infrastructure. He said the city will repay the debt from a dedicated fund made up of 25% of income-tax receipts and a portion of utility-bill income set aside for capital repayment.

Why it matters: The package would be one of the largest capital asks in Columbus history and, if approved by voters, would allow the city to finance a mix of new construction and preservation projects intended to increase housing supply, repair infrastructure and update facilities across neighborhoods.

Key details and allocations

- Affordable housing: $500 million for neighborhood development and affordable housing, the panel said. Ginther said previous bond programs helped produce more than 4,000 rental units and more than 630 permanent supportive-housing units, and that the…