Central Ohio housing strain tied to limited supply, zoning and infrastructure, panelists say

Panelists at a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum said limited housing supply, local zoning rules and infrastructure constraints are the primary drivers behind sharp price increases and reduced affordability in Central Ohio.

"Columbus is growing and has jobs and business coming here in a way that hasn't in my lifetime," said Josh Barkin, Division Vice President of MI Homes in Central Ohio. "The other side of it is we have a real supply issue, a real inventory problem in Central Ohio, and that is driving prices up."

The panel, moderated by Bonnie Meibers, commercial real estate reporter with Columbus Business First, included John Malkai, executive director of the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, and Buffie Patterson, president of the Columbus Realtors Board of Directors. Speakers discussed what they called a multi-part problem: strong demand for Columbus housing; local zoning and permitting hurdles; limited sewer and water infrastructure in some suburban and exurban counties; increased materials and labor costs; and the resulting…