With Rent Rising and Shelters Full, One-Time and Monthly Payments Are Helping Families Breathe, Plan, and Stay Housed
Nonprofits are launching a guaranteed income pilot program for unhoused families in Ohio’s largest county as rates of homelessness continue to outpace shelter and housing investments.
The Community Shelter Board and the RISE Together Innovation Institute are collaborating to launch a program called Stabilize Families, which will provide a one-time payment of $1,500 to 80 unhoused families. Another 20 families will receive $500 monthly payments for 11 months. The program is designed to target unhoused families in Franklin County, Ohio, which includes the state’s capital city, Columbus.
The guaranteed income pilot is launching at a time when more than 2,500 individuals are homeless in Franklin County, representing a 7.4% increase since 2022. Unsheltered homelessness among families is also increasing, according to the county’s 2024 Point-in-Time Count…