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Experts: Central Ohio building far fewer homes than needed; panel says zoning and incentives must change
Summary
Panelists at the Columbus Metropolitan Club said Central Ohio is producing roughly 11,000 housing units per year but needs 16,000–20,000 to keep pace with household formation; they pointed to zoning, incentives and targeted supply as remedies.
At the Columbus Metropolitan Club's annual Blue Chip Economic Forecast, panelists said Central Ohio's housing supply is lagging household formation and that local zoning and incentives will need to change to ease affordability and labor‑market constraints.
"We're building now about 11,000 houses and apartment units per year," Bill Lafayette said. "We need though to be building at least 16,000 a year, possibly as many as 20." Panelists said the shortfall — now two decades in the making, according to Lafayette — has driven vacancy rates low and pushed rents and prices higher than historical norms.
Why it matters: constrained housing supply limits the region's ability to attract and retain workers, aggravates a skills‑location mismatch and raises cost burdens for low‑ and middle‑income households, panelists said.
Nationwide's Kathy Basjancic said supply shortfalls are common nationally and that a cautious post‑crisis reaction by builders and regulators contributed to current undersupply. She cited examples from other cities where broad, sustained construction programs were required to restore supply balance.
Panelists discussed locally available tools: zoning changes to allow greater density and mixed‑use development; incentives for builders to create more middle‑income units; and public‑private financing partnerships. Dr. Joyce Chen noted the connection between housing affordability and labor‑market attachment, saying housing instability can reduce workers' ability to hold steady employment.
Panelists emphasized that solutions would be multi‑year efforts and that incremental policy changes (zoning reform, targeted incentives, and streamlined permitting) are the most commonly cited levers. The forum did not include formal policy votes or commitments by city officials.
Ending: Panelists urged local leaders and developers to coordinate on a longer‑term supply plan and suggested examining successful examples from other metros while tailoring incentives to produce more middle‑income and affordable units locally.
