Preserving Affordable Housing, for the Good of All

Affordable housing is key to the health of our community, but we can't create enough through public subsidy alone. We're preserving naturally-occurring affordable housing through the generosity of mission-minded leaders.

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Columbus Housing Enterprise (CHE) is a nonprofit created to acquire and maintain "Naturally-Occurring Affordable Housing" (NOAH) in Central Ohio. NOAH refers to rental homes that are affordable without requiring federal subsidy.The initiative was conceived by local business and community leaders Don Kelley and Robert Weiler, along with their families.In recognition that more affordable housing is needed than can be created solely through public subsidies, CHE is focused on leveraging the generosity of missions-minded leaders in the private sector to help meet this challenge.Near-term PlansCHE has acquired Copperleaf Apartments from the Kelley/Weiler Families at a significant discount from market value. This philanthropic commitment allows CHE to retain affordable rents and provide supportive services to residents.Two additional properties have been identified for acquisition, with more to come as other community leaders participate in CHE’s philanthropic vision.

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Leadership

Rev. John Edgar is president of Columbus Housing Enterprise. Rev. Edgard led Community Development for All People (CD4AP) from 2003 to 2022. CD4AP, a faith-based organization serving the Southside of Columbus, has developed $125 million in affordable housing and operates award-winning health and wellness initiatives, often in collaboration with Nationwide Children’s Hospital.Rev. Edgar has a Master of Divinity degree, cum laude from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology, magna cum laude from Miami University.

Partners

Board

Hal Keller President Emeritus of Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (Chair)

Patty McClimon Sr. VP, Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Vice Chair)

Leah Evans President and CEO, Homeport (Treasurer)

Jordan Henderson Director of Housing, CD4AP (Secretary)

John Wymer Retired CEO of Oakwood Properties

Michael Kelley The Kelley Companies

Jim Weiler The Robert Weiler Company

Robert Bitzenhofer VP at Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority

Services

CHE will provide service connections, rental assistance, and community-building activities for residents, including free access to CMHA’s RISE Center, which offers a range of services in health, education, end economic empowerment.CHE also will meet one-to-one with residents to discover their goals and aspirations, and plans to connect residents to:– Job training / career counseling
– Public benefits like Medicare, Medicaid, and WIC
– Financial aid for education
– Medical care and behavioral health resources
– Childcare, summer camps, tutoring, and more

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