Housing Crisis looms over Columbus’ self-proclaimed reputation as the “Silicon Heartland”

Ohio has made its reputation on being an approachable, affordable Midwestern state. With a variety of regional focuses including agriculture, manufacturing and entrepreneurship, Ohio’s diversity of profession is what makes its appeal. Columbus in particular has established itself as the fastest-growing city in the state, in part due to employment opportunities and affordability. This, coupled with announcements of arrival from tech companies like Intel and Google, has increased the city’s rapid development. However, Columbus has a long history of underdevelopment, resulting in a shortage of infrastructure and housing. At the cusp of a major population influx, Columbus finds itself at the crossroads of economic prosperity and systemic upheaval.