A group has submitted new petition language to create a Columbus fair housing department, but without rent control since Ohio law now prohibits it.
A group has submitted new ballot initiative petition language to Columbus officials that would ask voters to create a city Department of Fair Housing and require landlords to register their rental properties with the city.
"Put together something to at least give tenants rights and put landlords in a position to maintain affordable rents without gouging and profiteering," said Motil, a Clintonville resident and advocate and former Columbus City Council candidate.
The department would also create a searchable database where people could find not only the building address and neighborhood, but also base rents, the amount and date of each annual rent increase and decrease, and the vacancy status of each unit. The Columbus city attorney's office is reviewing the pre-circulation petition. Beard's group submitted the paperwork on Friday before Mayor Andrew J. Ginther announced on Monday that $200 million of a $1.5 billion bond package to go before Columbus voters in November would go toward affordable housing efforts.