Today, the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio released our latest report tracking the COVID-19 impact to housing affordability in Franklin County.
The results are harrowing. With eviction rates spiking across the board, the impotence of the federal moratorium became evident in October. A combination of regulatory loopholes, a well-funded effort to undermine the legal efficacy, and poor public understanding of the actions needed to invoke ones' rights now call into question the moratorium's ability to stop a housing meltdown.
Many of our other key indicators also saw their worst month yet, with over half of our housing professionals now reporting difficulty providing social services to residents in need. For many at-risk tenants, these services are the last lifeline to the outside world, their last connection to healthcare, food, and mental and social wellbeing.
To further illuminate the factors underlying this challenge, AHACO took a deeper look at the digital divide and how it impacts housing affordability in Central Ohio. This special report explores how uneven access to the internet, particularly for low-income and senior households, is exaggerating and accelerating disparities during COVID-19. With permeant shifts towards online services, particularly in healthcare and social services, this is posed to be a generational challenge that will long outlast the coronavirus pandemic.
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COVID-19 exposed how the internet became an irreplaceable component of our security and survival. It is how our children get their education, it's how our families stay connected, and it's how our adults engage in and navigate our new workforce environment. For a growing segment of our population, it's also how our healthcare services are delivered, with 1.6 million telehealth visits happening in the first quarter of 2020 alone. Bottom line: the internet is now a social determinate of health.
Yet, in some Central Ohio communities, over 31% of homes lack access to the internet. Some of the most strained neighborhoods are in Franklinton, the South Side, Linden, and Eastland . This pattern of digital dead zones essentially replicates the "red lining" maps from the 1930s and speaks to broader issues of systemic injustice in our communities' access to services.
Closing this digital divide doesn't just stand to repair and narrow existing opportunity gaps, it is also an unprecedented opportunity to invest in our infrastructure and catapult Central Ohio into a stronger, more competitive arena. This is poised have long-term economic development and human resource implications for our community.
Such a digital revolution will necessarily centralizes the affordable housing conversation, requiring our housing advocates to continue engaging and adapting to the changing landscape low-income residents must navigate.
This potential to transform our affordable housing world is thrilling. But this report can't be the end of the discussion... and, luckily, it won't be! To keep momentum moving forward, we invite you to join us on November 20th for a live dialogue on what the next steps look like and how we can all be part of this march towards access and inclusivity.
Thanks to a $50 million commitment of CARES Act funding from the Governor and our State leadership, a new round of investment in the Impact Hope Fund will open on Monday, November 9th (although welcomed, it's also worth noting that this modest investment remains dwarfed by the $792 million dollar rent relief need the experts calculate will accrue in Ohio by the end of January).
That new funding is expected to be depleted quickly and families are encouraged to apply early on Monday before the window for help closes again. Relevantly, we expect many of those applications will be submitted online. In fact, navigating all emergency relief programs during COVID has proven infinitely easier for families with a computer and internet connection. Luckily, our local partners created multiple low- and high-tech options to obtain rent relief, ensuring that during these darkest days, no one is left behind. A stunning example of how partnership and intentional inclusion can shine the way to a more equitable world.
As always, please continue to follow us on Twitter at @AffordHouse_OH for the latest happenings. Thank you for reading and staying tuned into the housing needs of our neighbors.
Be well and stay safe!