The 614 for Linden White Paper - Year One by Douglas_Craven

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Acknowledgments Neighborhood Advisory Committee ANDREA RUSSELL, NORTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSIONER HOLLY BORGHESE, NORTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSIONER

PEG WILLIAMS, SOUTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSIONER LAWRENCE CALLOWAY, SOUTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSIONER

SUNDI CORNER, SOUTH LINDEN AREA COMMISSIONER

DELENA SCALES, CITY OF COLUMBUS, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM SPECIALIST

CARLA GWINN, GREATER LINDEN BUSINESS NETWORK

INTERIM PRESIDENT & TREASURER

SADICKA WHITE, SADICKA & ASSOCIATES, PRESIDENT REV. CHARLES TATUM, GOOD SHEPHERD BAPTIST CHURCH & CONCERNED LINDEN CLERGY

ROBERT CALDWELL, ANSWERPOVERTY.ORG FOUNDER LANDON JAMES, LINDEN FARMERS MARKET MANAGER JASMINE AYRES, COMMUNITY OF CARING

DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION COMMUNITY ORGANIZER & ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

Ohio Capital Finance Corporation JON WELTY, PRESIDENT AARON MURPHY, VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LENDING

Affordable Housing Trust STEVEN D. GLADMAN, PRESIDENT MATT WOOTTON, DIRECTOR OF LENDING Community Shelter Board LIANNA BARBU, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Economic & Community Development Institute STEVE FIREMAN, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL DOUGLAS CRAVEN, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & INITIATIVES AMINATA SOKO, VISTA

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Finance Fund

BRITTANY BOULTON, DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Nationwide Children’s Hospital ANGELA MINGO, COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR CARLA FOUNTAINE, SENIOR COMMUNITY RELATIONS SPECIALIST

Healthy Homes GRETCHEN WEST, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PATRICE ALLEN BRADY, PROJECT MANAGER Community Development for All People REV. JOHN EDGAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR St. Stephen’s Community House MARILYN MEHAFFIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation ADAM TROY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KARLA THORNHILL COLEMAN, BOARD ADVISOR City of Columbus NICK BANKSTON, PROJECT MANAGER, NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES

JPMorgan Chase & Co. COURTNEY FALATO, VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL PHILANTHROPY

Greater Ohio Policy Center ALISON GOEBEL, PH.D., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LINDSEY ELAM, AICP, MANAGER OF RESEARCH

Executive Summary The 614 for Linden began as a collaborative of four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and six nonprofits seeking to implement four of the ten big ideas identified in the City of Columbus’ One Linden Plan (2018). It has since grown to include additional community partners and organizations. The 614 for Linden partners (the Collaborative) seek to build upon the plan to create an equitable, opportunity-rich neighborhood for Linden’s existing residents. To achieve this objective, The 614 for Linden will comprehensively invest in the area as a means to: •

Catalyze additional investment to preserve and increase affordable housing and commercial development

•

Provide access to technical assistance and capital for local small businesses

•

Increase healthy food access and health services for residents

The 614 for Linden explicitly seeks to address four of the plan’s big ideas. The Collaborative established the following goals for their work, which will take place from October 1, 2019– September 30, 2022:

Stabilize & Expand Housing Options • Develop a Linden housing loan pool of approximately $20 million to finance the acquisition, rehabilitation, and construction of affordable housing units •

Target loan capital to preserve or create approximately 500 affordable housing units for individuals and families who earn less than 80 percent of the area median income

•

Provide rapid rehousing services for up to 200 individuals experiencing or near homelessness

2. Develop Business & Support Entrepreneurs • Offer consulting, technical assistance, and other resources to 80 small businesses, including providing 45 microloans to local entrepreneurs starting or expanding operations •

Create approximately 100 full-time jobs as a result of neighborhood investment and new businesses

3. Build Community Investment • Develop two commercial facilities and one community facility that spurs additional neighborhood investment 4. Support Resident Health • Focus on wraparound health services, particularly prenatal and maternal programs •

Provide funding to create or attract one or more businesses to provide healthy food access

In Year I of The 614 for Linden (October 1, 2019–September 30, 2020), the Collaborative made progress towards each goal outlined above. T he 6 14 for Li nden | 20 19– 20 20

The Collaborative established a nearly $20 million fund for affordable housing in Linden, which was utilized in preserving 230 affordable housing units. The Collaborative stabilized 88 individuals at-risk of homelessness and assisted 73 potential small business clients, closing on six loans. The Collaborative also conducted a feasibility study related to establishing a grocery store in Linden and started conversations with potential grocery operators as well as provided wraparound health services for residents. Additionally, the Collaborative provided critical resources during the COVID-19 pandemic to support its partners, St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation, in addressing food and housing insecurity. In Year I, a total of $50,000 helped purchase fresh food and refrigeration equipment for food pantries and provided emergency rent and utility assistance to Linden residents. Year I of The 614 for Linden also revealed the following lessons, which may be of value to others in the field: •

Collaboration with neighborhood leaders and residents from the beginning is critical. To demonstrate its well-meaning intentions and commitment to working with the community, the Collaborative convened Linden's leaders for monthly meetings to collect feedback on the initiative and each project taking place and identify partnership opportunities, which proved to be necessary for successful implementation.

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Staff working in a neighborhood should be reflective of the community they serve. The 614 for Linden incorporated two grassroots community partners, St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation. It had regular communication with Linden’s elected area commissioners and other civic leaders to ensure the Collaborative was reflective of Linden and facilitating projects consistent with the community’s priorities.

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It is essential to meet people where they are when engaging residents. The 614 for Linden strived to be public-facing, engaged residents by hosting open houses in both North and South Linden, attended existing neighborhood events, and facilitated informal conversations with interested residents. This engagement was critical for building trust with the community and raising awareness about The 614 for Linden.

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Year I Community Engagement Events

Photo Source: OCCH

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Efforts should be explicit about how they serve the neighborhood and who they benefit. In Year I, community stakeholders wanted to see data on who benefitted from The 614 for Linden’s activities. In response, the Collaborative developed a website, www.the614forlinden.org, to share its mission, impact, and goals; describe each partners’ role; and serve as a clearinghouse for information on projects and upcoming events.

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Flexibility and willingness to pivot the initial approach are necessary. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, The 614 for Linden quickly pivoted its initial approach to respond to immediate community needs. Following neighborhood organizations’ guidance, the Collaborative reallocated $50,000 of PRO Neighborhoods funds to address growing food insecurity and housing instability caused by the pandemic in Year I. This change in plans was necessary for stabilizing many Linden families during times of unemployment, sickness, and uncertainty.

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Acronyms ACS

American Community Survey

AHT

Affordable Housing Trust for Columbus and Franklin County

AMI

Area Median Income

CD4AP

Community Development for All People

CDC

Community development corporation

CDFI

Community Development Financial Institution

CMHA

Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority

COTA

Central Ohio Transit Authority

ECDI

Economic Community Development Institute

GOPC

Greater Ohio Policy Center

MORPC

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission

OCFC

Ohio Capital Finance Corporation

RAD

Rental Assistance Demonstration

TaP

Teen and Pregnant Linden Clinic

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Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 8 THE COLLABORATIVE .............................................................................................................................. 10

THE NEIGHBORHOOD .............................................................................................................................. 11

Project Description ......................................................................................................................... 15 INVESTMENT GOALS

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RESOURCE ALLOCATION ......................................................................................................................... 16

YEAR I WORK PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 17 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ................................................................................................................... 18

Year I Challenges & Successes .................................................................................................... 23 COLLABORATIVE PARTNER CHALLENGES & SUCCESSES ........................................................................... 23 HOUSING IMPACT CASE STUDY .............................................................................................................. 33

Insights for the Field....................................................................................................................... 35 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 37 YEAR II WORK PLAN ................................................................................................................................ 37

References ....................................................................................................................................... 38 Appendix ......................................................................................................................................... 40 LINDEN & COLUMBUS BASELINE DATA .................................................................................................... 40

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW INVITATION & QUESTIONS .............................................................................. 43 STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEW ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................... 45

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Introduction The 614 for Linden began as a collaborative of four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and six nonprofits seeking to implement four of the ten big ideas identified in the City of Columbus’ One Linden Plan (2018). It has since grown to include additional community partners and organizations. The 614 for Linden partners (the Collaborative) seek to have a collective, positive impact on one neighborhood. The Collaborative includes the following partners (*=CDFI): 1.

Ohio Capital Finance Corporation (OCFC)*

7. Community Shelter Board

2. Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County (AHT)*

8. Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio

3. Finance Fund Capital Corporation*

9. Community Development for All People (CD4AP)

4. Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI)* 5. Nationwide Children’s Hospital 6. Healthy Homes The Collaborative’s goal is to build upon the One Linden Plan to create an equitable, opportunity-rich neighborhood for Linden’s existing residents. To achieve this objective, The 614 for Linden will comprehensively invest in the area as a means to: •

Catalyze additional investment to preserve and increase affordable housing and commercial development

•

Provide access to technical assistance and capital for local small businesses

•

Increase healthy food access and health services for residents

10. St. Stephen’s Community House 11. New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation Image 1: City of Columbus’ One Linden Plan

Photo Source: Neighborhood Design Center for the City of Columbus

Tim Robinson, Nationwide Children Hospital’s CEO, says, “We are proud to be part of the six nonprofits coming together to make a positive impact, each of us bringing unique expertise in community outreach, affordable housing and health” (City of Columbus, 2019). The 614 for Linden received a $5 million grant as a national winner of JPMorgan Chase’s Partnerships for Raising Opportunity in Neighborhoods (PRO Neighborhoods) competition, which makes investments “over three years to community development organizations tackling pressing demands in targeted neighborhoods” (JPMorgan Chase, n.d.). Columbus was one of only seven winning submissions in this round; overall, JPMorgan Chase received 75 applications covering 49 U.S. cities. Columbus’ Mayor Andrew J. Ginther says,

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The 614 for Linden is an example of our One Linden Community Plan coming to life by addressing many of the community’s big ideas. Thanks to JPMorgan Chase’s investment, the partners in The 614 for Linden will help the neighborhood stabilize and expand housing options, support entrepreneurs and develop businesses, build community investment, connect the community and support resident health. (City of Columbus, 2019) Part of the Collaborative’s PRO Neighborhoods grant ($3.655 million) allowed OCFC to seed an investment pool while leveraging $5.25 million from its balance sheet and $11 million from the AHT, a total of approximately $20 million, to finance affordable housing production in Linden. The full $5 million PRO Neighborhoods grant will be deployed in the One Linden Plan's geographic area and strategically outside of this boundary still within Linden. The graph below illustrates how the Collaborative expects to allocate $5 million by activity. Figure 1. PRO Neighborhoods Grant Planned Activity Allocation

In 2017, one of Linden’s primary community development corporations (CDCs) closed—creating a void in local community development leadership. Over three years, The 614 for Linden, a financier and nonprofit collaborative, will help address many of these gaps for the neighborhood. The Collaborative’s public-private integration of risk-tolerant lenders, proven housing developers, seasoned direct service providers, and trusted local partners bring the comprehensive expertise needed to address Linden’s challenges and opportunities. After three years, The 614 for Linden hopes to lay the foundation for forming a sustainable Linden CDC. Following PRO Neighborhoods grant requirements, the Collaborative hired a third-party evaluator for The 614 for Linden. Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC), a non-partisan nonprofit, will track qualitative and quantitative data, including conducting stakeholder interviews, over three years to evaluate the Collaborative’s progress towards its goals. GOPC will provide annual updates on The 614 for Linden; this report is the first of three. GOPC will also compile one final document that synthesizes the yearly updates, which is expected to be published in early 2023. This first annual report provides JPMorgan Chase, the field, and the broader public with a greater understanding of The 614 for Linden. It shares progress updates and lessons learned from the

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Collaborative’s first year and discusses how the Collaborative adjusted strategies to quickly respond to the COVID-19 pandemic while pursuing its original goals. Additionally, this report contributes to a national evaluation of JPMorgan Chase’s PRO Neighborhoods competition as a whole, which is being conducted by Abt Associates.

THE COLLABORATIVE The Collaborative represents a collective impact model with equity-minded priorities responsive to the Linden community’s needs (e.g., safe housing, healthy food access, infant mortality reduction, and employment and business development). Following are the Collaborative partners working together to implement the One Linden Plan and have a transformational impact: 1.

OCFC, a certified CDFI, will serve as the lead CDFI and fiscal agent for The 614 for Linden. OCFC will also lead efforts to provide innovative and flexible lending to create and preserve the supply of affordable housing.

2. AHT, a certified CDFI, will offer additional lending for affordable housing development. 3. Finance Fund Capital Corporation, a certified CDFI, will provide lending to create a business or businesses that provide healthy food access to Linden. 4. ECDI, a certified CDFI, will offer consulting and micro-lending to local small businesses and entrepreneurs seeking to start or expand an operation. 5. Nationwide Children’s Hospital will expand long-standing Linden health services to include premature birth prevention, enhanced development screening for preschoolers, school-based obesity prevention, and prenatal care. 6. Healthy Homes will help develop and preserve affordable housing in the community. 7. Community Shelter Board will provide rapid rehousing efforts for Linden residents threatened by homelessness. 8. Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio will contribute additional affordable housing development through its member organizations. 9. CD4AP, a faith-based partner, will assist with developing healthy food options. 10. St. Stephen’s Community House will work to connect Linden residents with resources, opportunities, and services. 11. New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation will assist with community engagement events, presentations, and neighborhood services. In addition to these partners, The 614 for Linden will actively engage with the City of Columbus’ Department of Neighborhoods. It has also assembled a Neighborhood Advisory Committee to provide feedback throughout the three year grant period. Several grassroots organizations and leaders are represented on the Committee: the Greater Linden Business Network, a nonprofit connecting small businesses to resources; Linden’s social enterprise group, which supports local entrepreneurs; North and South Linden Area Commissioners; and many individuals who were heavily involved in drafting the One Linden Plan.

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While the One Linden Plan provides a roadmap for the Collaborative’s investments, the Neighborhood Advisory Committee will serve as essential advisors to ensure the Collaborative appropriately translates the plan into housing, businesses, and services that provide residents with opportunities. Additionally, the Collaborative created working groups of Collaborative partners, organized by area of expertise, to strengthen The 614 for Linden’s potential collective impact. These sub-groups meet regularly regarding their initiative areas. The chart below illustrates the groups’ composition. Figure 2. The 614 for Linden Working Groups

THE NEIGHBORHOOD Linden is a predominately black (51 percent), legacy neighborhood located on the northeast side of Columbus, Ohio, a booming city. Other distressed communities in Columbus are stabilizing due to their anchor institutions’ leadership and investment. Over the last decade or two, the City of Columbus and a few small nonprofits have attempted to step into an anchor-like role for Linden. Still, the lack of a significant investment partner has resulted in modest successes. As Columbus continues to grow, strategic interventions are needed to ensure Linden residents share in Columbus’ prosperity. Corrine Burger, Managing Director and Columbus Location Leader for JPMorgan Chase, says, By nearly all measures, Columbus is thriving—but we know that opportunity is not reaching all corners of the city. JPMorgan Chase is committed to working alongside local partners and community leaders to put more residents on a pathway to prosperity. Together, we can have a real, lasting impact in Linden and across the city. We’re proud to work with The 614 for Linden to ensure that residents have the resources they need to grow and thrive. (City of Columbus, 2019) T he 6 14 for Li nden | 20 19– 20 20

Linden has multi-faceted challenges and untapped possibilities. As of 2020, Linden is an opportunity-scarce area, meaning it is incredibly difficult for its low-income children to experience upward social mobility. Twenty-eight percent of Linden’s households live below the poverty line, and the median household income is $36,615. Of residents who are 16 years of age or older, 21 percent are unemployed, and 71 percent work in an at-risk industry due to the impacts of COVID-19, based on GOPC’s analysis of Ohio’s most at-risk industries (i.e., service, retail trade, and manufacturing). Education attainment varies in Linden; around 19 percent of people, age 25+, do not have a high school diploma, while nearly 46 percent have some college education or more (i.e., associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate) (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Linden has 17,720 housing units; 45 percent are owner-occupied, around 41 percent are rented, and 14 percent are vacant. The neighborhood’s median home value is $78,967 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). According to local stakeholders, Linden is becoming a popular community for recent college graduates looking for affordable homes with yards. In September 2020, singlefamily home sales were up in North Linden by 20 percent compared to September 2019. Typically, North Linden’s houses sold for one percent above their asking price and sat on the market for 37 days. The average price was $119,000 in September 2020, five percent more than the year before (Redfin, 2020). In South Linden, single-family home sales were up by 60 percent in September 2020 compared to September 2019. Homes sold for around one percent below their asking price and went for an average of $66,000, five percent more than the previous year. Typically, South Linden’s singlefamily homes sat on the market for 42 days (Redfin, 2020). These trends suggest North Linden has the stronger of the two housing markets, but both areas are seeing modest improvements. A Linden resident who also works at St. Stephen's Community House said in an interview with 614NOW, “We definitely have noticed the growth. People are looking into homeownership now. That’s huge. Five years ago, people were not looking to buy” (McLaughlin, 2020). The 614 for Linden has the opportunity to increase Linden’s momentum while also ensuring existing residents benefit from new prosperity and are not displaced from their neighborhood. To quantitatively track The 614 for Linden’s impact on the neighborhood and its residents, over three years, GOPC will collect annual data at two geographic levels to ensure a complete understanding. Those levels include the neighborhood level, North and South Linden’s boundaries as defined by the City of Columbus, and the city level to contextualize conditions and trends. See the Appendix on page 40 for baseline data for GOPC’s tracking. In addition to establishing baseline data for quantitatively tracking the Collaborative’s impacts, GOPC reviewed the One Linden Plan to assess if The 614 for Linden encourages development consistent with the plan and reflective of residents’ priorities.

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One Linden Plan In 2018, Linden residents and the City of Columbus created the One Linden Plan to serve as “a roadmap for safe neighborhoods, economic development and access to affordable housing, quality healthcare, education, and employment opportunities in Linden” (Neighborhood Design Center, 2018). The plan outlined ten big ideas to stabilize one of the most distressed areas in the City. The 614 for Linden targets the same area outlined in the One Linden Plan (see Image 2) and conducts strategic interventions outside this boundary still within Linden. The One Linden Plan’s big ideas covered a range of topics reflective of the community’s priorities; they included: 1.

Stabilize & Expand Housing Options: Respect long-term residents, improve the condition of housing, create options for multiple income levels, and improve tenant-landlord relations

Image 2: One Linden Plan Target Area

2. Connect Residents to Employment: Offer skills training, improve the school to career track, and augment transportation connections to job centers 3. Reduce Crime & Improve Perceptions: Build trust between police and the community, focus on jobs and early childhood education, and reduce vacant properties as part of a comprehensive beautification approach 4. Support Student Success: Encourage neighborhood school attendance, create a system of wraparound support, and address housing instability 5. Develop Business & Support Entrepreneurs: Encourage the establishment of new Linden businesses and create pathways to entrepreneurship

Photo Source: Neighborhood Design Center for the City of Columbus

6. Address Early Childhood Experience: Support stability in young lives, improve access to trauma-informed services, and cultivate experiences that develop well-rounded youth 7. Reimagine Cleveland Avenue: Address safety concerns and aesthetic appeal of the corridor

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8. Build Community Investment: Create a favorable environment for market investment with physical interventions and policy/program changes 9. Connect the Community: Better incorporate Linden into the fabric of the City, improve access to and within the neighborhood, and ease physical and psychological barriers 10. Support Resident Health: Consider physical, emotional, financial, and other aspects of wellness to design programs that make the healthier choice, the easier choice (Neighborhood Design Center, 2018) Implementation of the One Linden Plan has already brought a new, $20 million community center and $18 million in infrastructure and community program improvements to Linden (McLaughlin, 2020). The 614 for Linden seeks to support further revitalization consistent with the plan by explicitly addressing four of the above big ideas: Stabilize & Expand Housing Options, Develop Business & Support Entrepreneurs, Build Community Investment, and Support Resident Health. In addition to implementing these elements of the One Linden Plan, The 614 for Linden’s activities also align with the City of Columbus’ and Franklin County’s federally-required 5-year Consolidated Plans (2015–2019)—ensuring it is consistent with other plans for the City as a whole.

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Project Description Over three years, The 614 for Linden will use its $5 million PRO Neighborhoods grant to have an equity-conscious, collective impact. Stable housing is foundational to family and community success, so The 614 for Linden will place a substantial resource-focus on affordable housing and rapid rehousing programming due to its enormous impact on health, educational, and employment outcomes. The other three big ideas that the Collaborative addresses are also critical ingredients to a thriving neighborhood, which is why The 614 for Linden chose to make these investments and established the following goals for October 1, 2019–September 30, 2022.

INVESTMENT GOALS Below are the Collaborative’s investment goals and examples of how its activities are consistent with the One Linden Plan. Over three years, The 614 for Linden seeks to:

Stabilize & Expand Housing Options • Develop a Linden housing loan pool of approximately $20 million to finance the acquisition, rehabilitation, and construction of affordable housing units •

Target loan capital to preserve or create approximately 500 affordable housing units for individuals and families who earn less than 80 percent of the area median income (AMI)

•

Provide rapid rehousing services for up to 200 individuals experiencing or near homelessness

Consistency with the One Linden Plan: The Collaborative will create new housing units, bring existing properties online, and offer home improvement grants for qualifying households in target locations. These activities implement two action items under the Stabilize & Expand Housing Options big idea on page 70 of the One Linden Plan.

Create approximately 100 full-time jobs as a result of neighborhood investment and new businesses

Consistency with the One Linden Plan: These activities implement two action items listed under the Develop Business & Support Entrepreneurs big idea on page 72 of the One Linden Plan. The Collaborative offers technical assistance (i.e., business plans, loans, and marketing) and accessible capital for businesses and entrepreneurs.

3. Build Community Investment • Develop two commercial facilities and one community facility that spurs additional neighborhood investment

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Consistency with the One Linden Plan: The Collaborative will build community investment by catalyzing other investments in Linden. Besides creating commercial and community facilities, the Collaborative will also provide grants for residents’ exterior home renovations in targeted areas. These activities are consistent with the One Linden Plan by addressing one of the action items under the Build Community Investment big idea on page 73 of the One Linden Plan.

4. Support Resident Health • Focus on wraparound health services, particularly prenatal and maternal programs •

Provide funding to create or attract one or more businesses to provide healthy food access

Consistency with the One Linden Plan: These activities implement three action items under the Support Resident Health big idea on page 74 of the One Linden Plan. The Collaborative is considering ways to connect households with fresh, healthy foods; helping attract a grocery store to Linden; and fostering housing stability to prevent evictions and displacement. In addition to the above investment goals, the Collaborative understands its activities will change Linden’s market. Therefore, partners will pro-actively mitigate resident displacement by working with grassroots leaders to ensure existing community members benefit from The 614 for Linden.

RESOURCE ALLOCATION To achieve all of the above metrics, the Collaborative will deploy its $5 million PRO Neighborhoods grant in the following ways: •

OCFC will use $3.655 million to seed an investment pool, totaling approximately $20 million, to provide pre-development, acquisition, and bridge loans to produce or preserve up to 700 affordable housing units for families with incomes less than 80 percent AMI. OCFC expects to lend capital to Healthy Homes, CD4AP, and Affordable Housing Alliance members.

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In response to the pandemic, OCFC reallocated $100,000 from affordable housing lending funds for COVID-19 emergency relief; in Year I of The 614 for Linden, $50,000 was disbursed. These funds supported food access activities and rental and utility assistance.

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Linden’s last grocery store closed in 2018; Finance Fund will use $300,000 for technical assistance and gap funding to finance a food retail store.

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ECDI will provide micro-lending and technical assistance to local entrepreneurs seeking to start or expand home-based businesses (e.g., craft, food, and beauty workers and handypersons) utilizing $350,000 of the PRO Neighborhoods grant for its activities.

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Community Shelter Board will use $250,000 for a rapid rehousing program to assist up to 200 families and individuals from or moving to Linden.

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A total of $120,000 will be allocated for community outreach, events, and other engagement activities. New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation and St.

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Stephen’s Community House will help lead engagement and other neighborhood services. •

GOPC will use $225,000 to conduct local evaluation activities to track The 614 for Linden’s progress and impact in Linden.

YEAR I WORK PLAN For The 614 for Linden’s first year (October 1, 2019–September 30, 2020), the Collaborative developed a work plan to progress towards its goals and ensure the obligations detailed in the PRO Neighborhoods grant agreement were met. The Year I Work Plan included:  Hire additional staff to coordinate the Collaborative  Identify and commit to a local evaluator  Host one visibility event  Participate in one PRO Neighborhoods CDFI peer learning activity  Hold quarterly check-in meetings to report on progress and course-correct, as needed  Start a Neighborhood Advisory Committee and begin community outreach  Establish a $20 million fund pool for non- and for-profit developers to begin utilizing acquisition and pre-development financing  Assist 60 families and individuals on the brink of homelessness or experiencing homelessness stabilize in housing  Provide technical assistance to 80 potential small business clients to build a deal pipeline, closing on ten loans  Begin talks with potential retail grocers In Year I, The 614 for Linden made progress towards achieving each item outlined its work plan, reaching most of the established metrics but, in some cases, falling short due to constraints related to facilitating projects and development during a global pandemic. However, The 614 for Linden’s progress was still significant, given the circumstances. The Collaborative hired additional staff to support The 614 for Linden and a local evaluator (GOPC). It facilitated an award announcement event and three visibility events. An OCFC staff member, on behalf of the Collaborative, attended a remote, PRO Neighborhoods CDFI peer learning event called Pivoting as a Collaborative amidst COVID-19. The event focused on addressing communities’ pandemic-associated challenges and included discussion topics like rental assistance, Paycheck Protection Program lending, and business loans and grants. The Collaborative also held quarterly check-in meetings; formally communicated monthly with Linden’s grassroots leaders, who make up the Neighborhood Advisory Committee; and participated in informal conversations by request with Committee members. The Collaborative established a nearly $20 million fund pool for affordable housing in Linden and began to utilize the pool for preserving Rosewind Estates, a complex with 230 affordable housing units. The Collaborative stabilized 88 individuals at-risk of homelessness through rental and T he 6 14 for Li nden | 20 19– 20 20

security deposit assistance and counseling, assisted 73 potential small business clients, and closed on six small business loans. The Collaborative also conducted a feasibility study related to establishing a grocery store in Linden and started conversations with potential grocery operators as well as provided wraparound health services for Linden residents. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Collaborative also provided critical support for its partners, St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation, to help these organizations address food and housing insecurity. A total of $50,000 in PRO Neighborhoods funds helped purchase fresh food and refrigeration equipment for food pantries and provided emergency rent and utility assistance for Linden residents.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT To collect feedback on The 614 for Linden in Year I, the Collaborative facilitated the following formal community engagement activities:

Award Announcement Event On November 25, 2019, The 614 for Linden held its first public event to announce its $5 million PRO Neighborhoods award and share what the Collaborative’s plans were for the future. The event included speeches from the City of Columbus’ Mayor Andrew Ginther (see Image 4); JPMorgan Chase’s Managing Director and Columbus Location Leader, Corrine Burger (see Image 5); President of Ohio Capital Finance Corporation, Jon Welty; St. Stephen’s Community House’s Executive Director, Marilyn Mehaffie; South Linden Area Commission’s Chair, Lawrence Calloway (see Image 6); Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s CEO, Tim Robinson; State Senator Hearcel Craig; Columbus City Council member and Chair of Housing, Shayla Favor; and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (see Image 7). St. Stephen’s Community House hosted the well-attended announcement event that had over 100 attendees. Image 3 & 4: Award Announcement Event

Photo Source: GOPC (left) and OCCH (right)

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Image 5, 6, & 7: Award Announcement Event

Photo Source: OCCH

Visibility Events The Collaborative, led by New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation, hosted three visibility events in Linden before the COVID-19 pandemic. The sessions were in an open house format, lasting two hours; the first took place in North Linden at New Salem Baptist Church on Dec. 21, 2019. At the first open house, 120 people were in attendance; 90 reported being Linden residents. The second and third events took place in South Linden at St. Stephen’s Community House on January 18, 2020 and February 15, 2020. For the January open house, 70 people attended, and 40 reported being Linden residents. At February’s event, there were 40 attendees; 25 lived in the Linden neighborhood. For these visibility events, each Collaborative partner set up booths to share information about their organizations, offerings, and role in The 614 for Linden. The open houses were popular among community members and engaged a total of 155 Linden residents. Image 8 & 9. Visibility Events

Photo Source: GOPC

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Monthly Community Engagement Zoom Meetings Due to COVID-19, the Collaborative shifted all of their public engagement online and by phone. Starting in April 2020, the Collaborative, led by the Community of Caring Development Foundation, held eight monthly Zoom meetings with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee and Linden residents to share project updates. Throughout the pandemic, this continued communication helped spark new partnerships between the Collaborative and Linden’s civic leaders; the meetings fostered a collective group working together towards Linden’s revitalization. Stakeholder Interviews In addition to quantitative data tracking, which can lag real-time, GOPC utilized qualitative methods to analyze how stakeholders perceived the Collaborative’s investments and how perceptions of the neighborhood change over time. From July to August 2020, GOPC conducted one-on-one stakeholder interviews with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee and The 614 for Linden’s implementation partners. As part of its evaluation process, GOPC will interview the Neighborhood Advisory Committee for each year of the grant. In Year I, GOPC invited stakeholders to participate in 45- to 60-minute phone interviews. GOPC intended these meetings to be in-person but decided to hold these discussions over the phone to ensure all participants and interviewers felt comfortable during the pandemic. GOPC plans for inperson interviews to resume in The 614 for Linden’s following years, once coronavirus is no longer a threat. During discussions, GOPC asked each interviewee the same questions; the full list is in the Appendix on page 44. Following are the stakeholders chosen by the Collaborative for the Year I interviews: Neighborhood Advisory Committee Members: •

Andrea Russell, North Linden Area Commissioner

•

Holly Borghese, North Linden Area Commissioner

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Peg Williams, South Linden Area Commissioner & Linden’s social enterprise group leader

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Sadicka White, One Linden Plan Consultant: Sadicka & Associates, LLC President

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Carla Gwinn, Greater Linden Business Network Interim President & Treasurer

•

Robert Caldwell, AnswerPoverty.org Founder

Other members of the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, who were invited but unavailable for the interviews, included Reverend Charles Tatum from the Good Shepherd Baptist Church and the Concerned Linden Clergy; South Linden Area Commissioners Lawrence Calloway and Sundi Corner; and Neighborhood Program Specialist Delena Scales from the City of Columbus’ Department of Neighborhoods.

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Implementation Partners: •

Homeport, Leah Evans, Vice President of Real Estate Development

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Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, Sonja Nelson, Assistant Vice President of Resident Initiatives

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Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Tammy Tucker, Agency Relations Manager

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The City of Columbus, Carla WilliamsScott, Department of Neighborhoods Director, and Nick Bankston, Project Manager, Neighborhood Transformation Strategies

•

Columbus Next Generation, Boyce Safford, Executive Director

Interviews’ Key Takeaways Following the interviews, GOPC compiled all individuals’ feedback and identified key takeaways related to the Collaborative and its goals and progress. The summary of comments below is not reflective of one individuals’ responses; instead, it is GOPC’s attempt to synthesize all collected feedback in good faith. •

The 614 for Linden aligns with the City of Columbus' holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization. The 614 for Linden’s approach is similar to the One Linden Plan, which represents "a holistic and integrated approach that does not zero in on one particular area” (Neighborhood Design Center, 2018). Stakeholders felt the Linden neighborhood would need wide-ranging efforts to work together to reverse the consequences of redlining, systemic racism, and prolonged disinvestment.

•

The Collaborative should be representative of the community. While some stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden was a diverse group working with the necessary individuals, several participants felt the Collaborative could better represent Linden’s population. Stakeholders thought neighborhood organizations’ (i.e., St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation) involvement in the Collaborative was helpful.

•

Collaboration with neighborhood leaders and stakeholders is critical. Stakeholders felt the partnerships between The 614 for Linden and the community started "rocky." Now, The 614 for Linden is working towards rebuilding trust by convening Linden's leaders for monthly meetings to collect their feedback on the initiative. Stakeholders felt this on-going conversation was necessary and thought it benefitted their new collaboration.

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The Collaborative can support Linden in taking action. Stakeholders said Linden's greatest asset is its residents, and many people are ready to take action. However, resources are scarce, and the community lacks capacity. Stakeholders felt the Collaborative could expand Linden’s capabilities by supporting its existing civic infrastructure.

•

Most stakeholders are confident that The 614 for Linden can attract additional resources. The 614 for Linden has brought both stakeholders and monetary support to Linden, and the majority of stakeholders believed the Collaborative’s work would attract other resources and development to the neighborhood.

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•

Stakeholders hope that the Collaborative will change perceptions of Linden and foster community pride. Symptoms of decades of disinvestment are visible in Linden. With new and different services to improve residents’ well-being, stakeholders felt the Collaborative’s work could help change perceptions of the neighborhood and foster community pride, which was also an objective of the One Linden Plan.

•

The 614 for Linden has a role to play in furthering racial equity. Several stakeholders believed the Collaborative promoted racial equity because its investments will likely benefit the black community by providing wealth-building and employment opportunities and creating stable housing. Other stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden could further support the Linden community by helping it accomplish what it wanted to achieve. One stakeholder said The 614 for Linden would be furthering racial equity when they see "Linden residents benefiting from playing by all the same rules" and building wealth.

•

Stakeholders want a better understanding of who benefits from The 614 for Linden. Interviewees wanted to see data related to The 614 for Linden’s activities to understand who benefitted from the Collaborative's services. Stakeholders believed the Collaborative needed to raise awareness about their projects and be clear about how much of the $5 million PRO Neighborhoods funds were going to each of the four big ideas.

To view GOPC’s full stakeholder interview analysis, see the Appendix on page 45.

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Year I Challenges & Successes In addition to completing the items outlined in the Collaborative’s Year I Work Plan, individual partners produced key achievements—illustrating The 614 for Linden’s collective impact.

COLLABORATIVE PARTNER CHALLENGES & SUCCESSES Individual partners’ challenges and successes from Year I are summarized below.

Ohio Capital Finance Corporation (OCFC) In Year I, OCFC overcame unexpected hurdles in its housing development; as a lender, it did not want to provide loans that could potentially hurt its borrowers. Also, fewer organizations were willing to take on debt during times of coronavirus. Despite these challenges, OCFC successfully managed The 614 for Linden, organized its Collaborative partners, and established an approximately $20 million fund pool for affordable housing. OCFC, as the lead grantee of The 614 for Linden, also nimbly reallocated resources in the face of COVID-19 to provide an unbudgeted $50,000 to support St. Stephen’s Community House’s and the Community of Caring Development Foundation’s responses to food and housing insecurity. Additionally, OCFC helped preserve 230 affordable housing units and identified three potential real estate projects, creating a 2021 project pipeline. •

Rosewind Estates RAD Renovations: OCFC loaned the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) $1 million of PRO Neighborhoods funds to support the preservation of 230 existing, affordable housing units at Rosewind Estates in Linden. The $39.7+ million project houses approximately 700 residents (Namingadde, 2020); 184 households with incomes between 30 and 60 percent AMI and 46 with incomes below 30 percent AMI will be housed due to the renovations. Existing residents receiving unit updates will be asked to move into a newly renovated unit or be given a voucher to Image 10 & 11: Kenlawn Place Groundbreaking stay elsewhere if they are not interested— ensuring no one is displaced during this process. Other funding sources for the project included the City of Columbus’ Housing Action Fund, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Capital Magnet Fund, and CVS Health. Renovations are expected to be complete in November 2021.

•

2021 Project Pipeline: In 2020, COVID-19 presented challenges for development in Linden, but OCFC identified three real estate projects to pursue in 2021. OCFC committed to providing $500,000 to support Healthy Homes, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and other local partners in developing 20 affordable rental units in Linden (more information provided on page 28, under

Photo Source: Homeport

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Healthy Homes). OCFC started conversations with Ena’s Kitchen, a small business and ECDI client, about providing capital for expanding their restaurant and building out space for additional commercial tenants. OCFC also committed to loaning $3 million, including $1.5 million of PRO Neighborhoods funds, to support Homeport’s Kenlawn Place project, which started development in August 2020 to create walk-up apartments for 45 low-to-moderate income households in Linden (Homeport, 2020).

Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County (AHT) In Year I, AHT partnered with OCFC to develop and structure the approximately $20 million investment pool to finance affordable housing development in Linden; AHT committed $11 million. As part of its commitment, AHT made a construction loan to the Rosewind Estates RAD Renovations project for $4.25 million—an example of collaborative CDFI lending with OCFC. Additionally, AHT committed a $3 million bridge loan to the Kenlawn Place project, which OCFC will utilize in 2021 for the project. Finance Fund Capital Corporation Finance Fund started taking initial steps to attract a grocery store to Linden. It hired Good Food Markets to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether a grocery store with a small café serving prepared foods could be built and successfully operated in the neighborhood. Good Food Markets operates four community-based grocery stores in Washington D.C. to provide healthy, high quality, affordable groceries within a small building footprint. Good Food Markets concluded a grocery in Linden would need around $870,000 in grants, almost $600,000 in very-low-cost loans, and a more traditional loan of nearly $900,000 to be feasible; the grocery store could reach financial stability in about three years. With the feasibility study complete, Finance Fund started addressing another essential aspect of a grocery’s success in Linden: the need for a strong, experienced owner or operator. In Year I, Finance Fund took critical next steps in identifying potential owners and operators. Finance Fund held food access discussions with North and South Linden Area Commissioners and had conversations with Local Matters, an existing nonprofit addressing Linden’s food access, to discuss future partnership possibilities. Finance Fund also engaged CD4AP and Columbus Next Generation, organizations working to redevelop a small healthy food outlet in Linden’s former Eagle Market building, to discuss grocery store development and resources (discussed in more detail on page 30, under CD4AP).

Economic & Community Development Institute (ECDI) In Year I, ECDI was challenged to find ways to continue community outreach safely in Linden. Due to COVID-19, their goal was to assist the neighborhood safely, so clients did not have to leave their neighborhood to receive assistance. ECDI’s headquarters, their Women’s Business Center, and food business incubator space (i.e., Food Fort) are located in Devon Triangle, 1.5 miles southeast of Linden. In the future, ECDI hopes to address this challenge by expanding partnerships with Linden-based organizations to provide pre-incubation services in the neighborhood. ECDI also found Linden’s residents were not yet comfortable calling to ask ECDI for help, so it conducted extensive community outreach to have a more substantial neighborhood presence

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and build trust with residents. ECDI’s efforts proved to be successful. In Year I, it provided small business technical assistance, ranging from answering quick client questions to working multiple hours with individuals (pre- and post-loans) using their virtual training platform, Initiate. ECDI served 73 clients with over 70 hours of technical assistance and provided six small business loans. •

Small Business Lending: In Year I, ECDI provided six small business loans, totaling $100,000 and resulting in the creation or retention of 29 jobs. Linden’s businesses and entrepreneurs receiving loans in Year I included: 1.

TRF Construction LLC, an MBE minority contractor, providing concrete installation services

2. Trio Pharmacy LLC, a pharmacy and retail store along Cleveland Avenue 3. Somali Link Newspaper LLC, a newspaper providing the Somali community with information, in Somali and English, regarding cultural differences and designed to educate readers (Somali Link, n.d.) 4. Maghama Express, a home-based business importing a wide range of Senegalese garments from Dubai and Senegal 5. Columbus Communications Inc., a mobile phone business 6. COL. OH LCC, a mobile notary and real estate admin services business that built out its wireless network systems •

Community Outreach: In Year I, ECDI Image 12: ECDI Client Food Truck provided 400 free meals through its small business clients, who operated food trucks outside St. Stephen’s Community House and New Salem Baptist Church. Two ECDI staff volunteered at the Community of Caring Development Foundation’s Health & Hope Initiative, which hosted community events (discussed later on page 31, under New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Photo Source: Ena’s Kitchen Development Foundation). ECDI also participated in six meetings hosted by the Greater Linden Business Network. Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, ECDI was not able to collect resident information at these events.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital As part of its Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families Initiative, Nationwide Children’s Hospital provided wraparound health services to improve health outcomes in Linden. In Year I, Nationwide Children’s Hospital made many adjustments to ensure that its patients and their families could continue to receive the same quality of care, despite new challenges the country was facing. Since the start of COVID-19, the staff at Nationwide Children’s Linden Primary Care Center worked to maintain a very safe and clean environment that patients could continue to come to for vaccinations and well-check visits. Staff at the center wore personal protective equipment,

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provided all visitors with masks, scheduled more frequent cleanings of the center, and limited the number of people in the clinical space to assist in combating the spread of coronavirus. Telemedicine (i.e., virtual visits) was also highly utilized for many different patient visit types, including, but not limited to, mental health, nutrition, and asthma. In the same spirit of re-calibrating programming due to COVID-19, Nationwide Children’s school health services maintained limited access throughout 2020. The programs described below summarize Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s new and expanded partnerships, maintenance of health care access, virtual health education, and modified asthma care outreach to the Linden community in Year I. •

Health Education Sessions: This program provided school-aged children and teens with information to support leading healthy lifestyles. In Year I, 24 health education sessions were held in Linden through various formats, such as lunch-and-learns, train-the-trainer, and after school programs. Topics included hygiene and puberty, effective communication, healthy relationships, sex education, and many more.

•

School-Based Asthma Therapy: This program, a partnership between school nurses and medical providers, ensured students with high-risk asthma received their medication every day by taking it at school. With many Linden schools closed due to the pandemic, the program shifted to provide care coordination and disease management through the Linden Primary Care Center. From January 2020 to March 2020, 98 students from 18 schools enrolled in the School-Based Asthma Therapy Program. Beginning in March, when COVID-19 hit, the program moved forward with 15 students from nine schools and another 70 children enrolled in care coordination.

•

School-Based Health Centers & Mobile Care Centers: In Year I, Nationwide Children’s also worked to have School-Based Health Centers and Mobile Care Centers available to the Linden community. These centers provided health care for children, ages 0-21, including annual check-ups, vaccines, primary care mental health, teen health care, and other services. In Year I, the School-Based Health Centers and Mobile Care Centers saw 1,163 students from Linden.

•

Columbus Cares Kids Kits: In response to school closures due to COVID-19, Action for Children, Future Ready, the Ohio State University, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital collaborated to create Columbus Cares Kids Kits. These kits included age-appropriate, at-home learning activities and toys to promote child development and literature to support parents during the pandemic. Over 1,000 kits were provided to Linden families in Year I.

•

School Health Services: In July 2020, the School Health Services Program launched its first school nursing support at KIPP Columbus. Even in a virtual setting, the school nurse provided several services such as hearing screenings, vision screenings, support for COVID-19 safety procedures, and education. The school nurse partnered closely with a School-Based Health Center (mentioned previously) to connect students to primary care services. Through this partnership, 83 students received vaccines, and hundreds of other students now have records that are up to date.

•

Be The One: This program engaged 75 students, grades 7-12, through community service,

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mentoring, experiential learning, and more. For high school, the program was offered as an elective credit, and students earned internship hours. Participating students showed improvements in attendance, grades, behavior, and graduation—this program aligned with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s efforts to increase high school graduation rates. •

Nurse Family Partnership: This program was a free service provided in Linden for qualifying women who were pregnant with their first child. When enrolled, women receive visits from a specially trained nurse throughout their pregnancy until their child is two years of age. Nurses visit weekly or bi-weekly as determined by the participant and their nurse.

•

Teen and Pregnant Linden Clinic (TaP): This program provided culturally competent pregnancy care, education, and support for young women up to 22 years old. In addition to a team of doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses, both a dietician and licensed social worker provided patients with valuable resources in personal finance, transportation, behavioral health, nutrition, and breastfeeding support. The program worked closely with Child Protective Services, Nurse Family Partnership, and Legal Medical Services to ensure patients received the help they needed. In Year I, TaP serviced 50 patients from the Linden area.

•

Mentoring Sessions: In partnership with Columbus City Schools at Hamilton Elementary School, weekly one-hour mentoring sessions took place with 15 students and Nationwide Children’s Hospital employees. They worked on homework skills, discussed career pathways, and just talked about life. The program takes place at many other schools throughout the City of Columbus, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital hopes to expand the program to other schools in Linden.

•

School-Based Behavioral Health: This program provided individual, small group, and schoolwide interventions to support students’ mental health needs. The services were located at nine Linden area schools, served 169 students on an individual basis, and included five small group sessions.

•

BC4Teens: The Young Woman’s Contraceptive Services Program, also known as BC4Teens, is a program for young women up to age 25 to address reproductive health questions and concerns and provide counseling and education. Approximately 30 patients from the Linden area participated in the program in 2020.

Additional school partnerships throughout 2020 included school nursing, School-Based Health Centers, Mobile Care Centers, vaccine clinics, and health education at KIPP Columbus, LindenMcKinley STEM Academy, and Medina Middle School. In Year I, Nationwide Children’s Hospital also provided community programming: •

PlayStreets: This program was piloted on Columbus’ South Side and provided children with a safe place to congregate and play. The program obtained a permit to shut down a main thoroughfare for kids and their families to safely participate in story-time with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, dance and fitness classes, a petting zoo, and sidewalk play (e.g., jump rope and sidewalk chalk). Nationwide Children’s Hospital planned to launch the same program in Linden, but, due to COVID-19, it could not move forward as initially envisioned. As an alternative, it created the appropriate, socially-distant PlayStreets in a Box, which provided activities for approximately 50 Linden participants, who picked up a box full of

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books, games, and other items that could keep a family active. Free produce was also made available to families picking up these packages. •

Free Tax Assistance: This program had its inaugural year in 2020 in Linden. The program, a partnership with the United Way of Central Ohio’s Tax Collaborative, was available to residents in preparation for their 2019 tax filing. It was offered at the Linden Primary Care Center on Cleveland Avenue for households with an income of $56,000 or less. It assisted many Linden families, including senior citizens, who lost access to many other filing sites that shut down due to the pandemic and did not reopen. It saved families a significant amount of dollars in filing fees, an estimated $2,000 to $2,500.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital looks forward to continuing and expanding many of the above programs in 2021, including work in the area of infant mortality. It is also looking at how to continue impacting social determinants of health in Linden through an anti-racism lens by conducting a series of focus groups to inform its work. Jasmine Ayres, Columbus LEAD Organizer for COHEAR (i.e., a community engagement and strategy company), is assisting the hospital in successfully organizing these conversations to collect meaningful feedback from the Linden community. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is continuing to cultivate and build relationships to move its significant work forward in Linden well into the future.

Healthy Homes Healthy Homes—a nonprofit, affordable housing developer representing a partnership between Nationwide Children’s Hospital and CD4AP—helped build community investment in Year I. Like other partners, the pandemic made Healthy Homes’ work more challenging. Because more people stayed home and in-person interactions were limited, recruiting residents, homeowners, and contractors for its Linden Home Repair Program was difficult. However, Healthy Homes learned Linden residents love their community and leveraged their passion by asking them to help recruit program participants. As a result of community members’ help, Healthy Homes reached nearly 200 people interested in the Home Repair Program by the end of 2020.

Image 13: Home Repair Program Flyer

In Year I, Healthy Homes’ affordable housing development was also challenged to raise the money needed to produce high-quality housing in Linden. Healthy Homes found the neighborhood was changing rapidly and, in some cases, the Photo Source: Healthy Homes organization experienced “sticker shock” when trying to acquire properties. Nevertheless, Healthy Homes was determined to find a way to create the quality, affordable housing that Linden needed.

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•

Linden Home Repair Program: Healthy Homes’ Linden Home Repair Program kicked off in 2020 for homeowners in need of exterior home repairs. The program received $500,000 from the City of Columbus in September. As of November 2020, Healthy Homes accepted applications from households between 11th and 17th Avenues with incomes at or below 65 percent AMI. Residents outside the impact area were eligible if they attended one of The 614 for Linden’s visibility events and expressed interest in the program. Community leaders were instrumental in promoting the Linden Home Repair Program. Area Commissioners distributed over 500 flyers, and the Community of Caring Development Foundation distributed flyers at their food giveaway. St. Stephen’s Community House advertised the program on their social media and provided space for Healthy Homes to host community hours to help residents apply. To date, nearly 200 people either expressed interest personally or were recommended by a Linden neighborhood liaison or area commissioner for the Linden Home Repair Program. However, 89 did not qualify because they lived outside of the impact area. Some potential participants are still under review to determine if they are eligible; 47 people have qualified and were asked to apply for the program because they lived in the impact area or attended one of The 614 for Linden’s events. Sixteen of those 47 requested applications were completed and returned for grant consideration.

•

Affordable Rental Units: Healthy Homes secured financial commitments for 20 scattered-site, affordable rental units. Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Partners for Kids committed a combined $1.5 million, and OCFC will loan $500,000 from the PRO Neighborhoods grant. CareSource and the Center for Community Investment also made loan commitments. The fund will be slightly over $4 million in total for affordable housing development. Healthy Homes hopes to begin construction in spring 2021 to complete most units by the year-end. The current plan includes 14 single-family homes and three duplexes. Most properties will be new construction, but up to three will be full rehabs of existing homes. The average rent is $864 for a 3-bedroom unit. All units will be available to households at or below 80 percent AMI. The family must also make three times the asking rent or have a Section-8 voucher to qualify. Residents living in these units will be connected to other Nationwide

Image 14: Healthy Homes Planned Housing Types

Photo Source: Healthy Homes

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Children’s Hospital’s Healthy Neighborhoods Healthy Families programming, including workforce development and health and education services. Healthy Homes plans to host lease-up events in spring 2021 before the units are finished.

Community Shelter Board Community Shelter Board helped stabilize Linden’s homeless families and those at-risk by providing homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing services. In Year I, Community Shelter Board continued business as usual but expects increased service needs when eviction moratoriums lift in 2021. To prepare, Community Shelter Board has already sought and been awarded additional funding to sustain its services. In The 614 for Linden’s first year, Community Shelter Board provided over $128,500, including $75,000 from the PRO Neighborhoods grant, in rental and security deposit assistance. It served 88 clients with incomes below 30 percent AMI, and 33 of those clients were Linden residents. Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio All Affordable Housing Alliance members develop, improve, provide, or fund affordable housing for low-income households in central Ohio by working together and making targeted investments (Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, n.d.). In Year I, seven of its members participated in The 614 for Linden’s activities: CMHA, CD4AP, Community Shelter Board, Finance Fund, Homeport, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, and Wallick Communities. Community Development for All People (CD4AP) In Year I, South Side Columbus’ CDC, CD4AP, worked with Next Generation Columbus and the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio to redevelop Eagle Market, a blighted building in South Linden, into a pharmacy and fresh food market. Project partners are calling the site Farmacy in the City (Scott Moran, 2020). It is intended to reduce Linden's food insecurity and improve health; it will offer free food, health screenings, and other services (Foley, 2020). The market will be similar to CD4AP’s All People's Fresh Market on Columbus’ South Side. Withstanding the challenges that COVID-19 brought for development, the pharmacy and market expect to open on schedule in spring 2021. Additionally, the market is looking to hire a full-time manager who will ideally be a Linden resident. CD4AP is seeking input and help from community members to recruit applicants. Image 15 & 16. Former Eagle Market & New Pharmacy & Market Rendering

Photo Source: The Columbus Dispatch

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St. Stephen’s Community House St. Stephen’s Community House, a grassroots Linden organization, acted as an advisor for The 614 for Linden in its first year. It also contributed to improving Linden’s food access and stabilizing families during the COVID-19 pandemic that caused a surge in need for food pantry services and rent and utility assistance. •

Food and Nutrition Center: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit central Ohio, St. Stephen’s Community House knew it would need to rise to the occasion to make sure Linden’s families were supported throughout the crisis. It immediately opened up its Food and Nutrition Center, a food pantry, to all of Franklin County. The Food and Nutrition Center typically serves eight zip codes with a choice food model— allowing clients to choose what products they receive from the pantry. However, in May 2020, St. Stephen’s Community House started serving 50 zip codes and moved to a drive‐thru, prepackaged model to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Families were invited to visit once a week for a box full of proteins (i.e., meat and beans), fresh fruits and vegetables, and shelf‐ stable dairy and foods (i.e., dry and canned goods). This model allowed St. Stephen’s Community House to keep staff and visitors safe and healthy throughout the pandemic.

Image 17: Food & Nutrition Center Flyer

Of the Collaborative’s PRO Neighborhoods Photo Source: St. Stephen’s Community House grant, $15,000 was used to support the pantry’s efforts. From March 2, 2020–June 30, 2020, St. Stephen’s served 35,452 individuals from 9,678 households; 65 percent were Linden families. As of June 30, 2020, the pantry had served 2,537 new households since March 2020. •

Emergency Rent & Utility Assistance: St. Stephen’s Community House also utilized $20,000 of PRO Neighborhoods funds to provide emergency rent and utility assistance to stabilize Linden’s families during the pandemic. The City of Columbus gave an additional $13,000 of CARES Act funds to support these efforts. In total, 36 Linden residents received rental assistance, and 37 residents received utility assistance.

New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation The Community of Caring Development Foundation served as Linden’s community outreach and engagement leader in Year I. Its primary role involved promoting The 614 for Linden and raising awareness in the neighborhood. It also helped improve Linden's food access as part of its regular food distribution activities, which expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the growing need for food pantry services.

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•

In-person Visibility Events: Before the pandemic, the Collaborative planned to host monthly visibility events for Linden’s residents to have an opportunity to engage with The 614 for Linden partners and learn more about each organizations’ offerings. The Community of Caring Development Foundation led three in-person events, reaching 155 Linden residents, before needing to pivot its engagement strategy due to coronavirus.

•

Monthly Community Engagement Zoom Meetings: To provide an alternative for in-person events, the Community of Caring Development Foundation facilitated eight two-hour Zoom meetings between the Collaborative and Linden organizations, agencies, area commissioners, and other leaders. Starting in April 2020, the Community of Caring Development Foundation sent out over 30 meeting invitations each month to organizations like the Concerned Linden Clergy, the Greater Linden Business Network, Linden News, local churches, and others. Meetings typically included around 30 participants; about ten represented Linden residents and Neighborhood Advisory Committee members. Additionally, City of Columbus staff attended, ensuring the Collaborative and the City were coordinated as they work in Linden.

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Advertising at Community Events: The Community of Caring Development Foundation advertised The 614 for Linden at existing community events and asked Collaborative Image 18: Bread of Life Food Pantry Flyer partners to set up booths. Partners met people where they are by participating in the Community of Caring Development Foundation’s Health & Hope Initiative, which included 90 days of events like COVID-19 testing, a food giveaway, and education on the 2020 Census and voting during November’s election. The Community of Caring Development Foundation also advertised The 614 for Linden during community marches happening weekly in Linden. As a result of its presence at community events, The 614 for Linden engaged over 500 individuals in Year I; 80 percent were Linden residents.

•

Community Food Distribution: In addition to leading community outreach, the Community of Caring Development Foundation’s Bread of Life Food Pantry improved food access in Year I. Bread of Life Food Pantry utilized $15,000 in PRO Neighborhoods funds to address food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds helped purchase refrigeration equipment and fresh food. The pantry served 200 individuals a week; 90 percent were Linden residents. In June 2020, Bread of Life Food Pantry was visited by 225 percent more families and 67 percent more seniors than the month prior; the pantry served a total of 2,800 visitors in June.

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Photo Source: The Community of Caring Development Foundation

HOUSING IMPACT CASE STUDY For this report, GOPC highlights the Collaborative’s Rosewind Estates’ RAD Renovations project to help illustrate the impact The 614 for Linden is having on Linden’s affordable housing, a substantial focus area for the Collaborative.

Rosewind Estates’ RAD Renovations Project Address: 1400 Brooks Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211 (Located in Census Tract 15, east of Cleveland Ave.) Total Project Cost: $39,769,128 Total PRO Neighborhoods Funds Utilized: $1,000,000 Loan Leverage Ratio: 3 percent Affordable Housing Units Created/Preserved: 230

Image 19. Rosewind Estates

Photo Source: Wallick Communities

Rosewind Estates is an affordable housing community in Linden with 160 townhomes and 70 single-family homes, consisting of up to four bedrooms. In Columbus, public housing is overseen by CMHA, which administers public housing via properties it owns and operates, like Rosewind Estates. Wallick Communities—the largest manager of affordable housing in Ohio (Wallick Communities, n.d.)—manages Rosewind and provides onsite services for CMHA. Rosewind’s RAD Renovations are part of CMHA’s $250 million investment in affordable housing in 2020 (Biospace, 2020).

Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) The Department of Housing and Urban Development created the voluntary RAD program to preserve public housing by providing public housing agencies with more stable funding for property improvements. RAD has built in protections to prevent displacement of existing residents, and Rosewind Estates’ development team has assured the Linden community no one will be displaced as a result of the project. Residents receiving unit updates will be asked to move to a new renovated unit or be given a voucher to stay elsewhere if they do not wish to stay at Rosewind.

Around 95 percent of Rosewind residents are black, and residents' average household income is less than $17,000 (Woods, 2020). The complex is within walking distance of Douglas Recreation Center. Utilities are included in rent, and the property offers amenities, including childcare, a playground, a community room, energy-efficient appliances, and bus line access.

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Initially constructed in 1998 through the HOPE IV program, Rosewind needed substantial rehabilitation. OCFC used $1 million of PRO Neighborhoods funds to leverage a $4.2 million equity bridge loan to finance the rehabilitation.

Image 20. Rosewind Home Ready for Updates

The PRO Neighborhoods capital complemented others’ investments, including a $13.7 million equity investment from CVS Health, which will help rehabilitate units, improve Rosewind’s community center, and provide “onsite community health programs.” CVS’s Rosewind partnership is part of its commitment to invest $600 million over five years to address “racial inequality and social determinants of health in Black Photo Source: Adora Namigadde, WOSU communities” (Woods, 2020). Peg Moertl, former President and CEO of Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, says, Housing and health care go hand-in-hand, and health outcomes are impacted by housing affordability and stability. We are pleased to be working with CVS Health and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority to provide quality housing, economic support, and educational training opportunities to those families and individuals facing challenges in the Linden community. (Clay, 2020) Other funding sources for the project included the City of Columbus’ Housing Action Fund, LowIncome Housing Tax Credits, and the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Capital Magnet Fund. The rehabilitation is expected to be complete in November 2021.

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Insights for the Field To overcome challenges associated with investing in a distressed market area and ensure The 614 for Linden is successful in achieving its goals, the Collaborative learned the following lessons from Year I, which may also be of value to others working in the community development field: •

Collaboration with neighborhood leaders and residents from the beginning is critical. In the Collaborative’s first year, community stakeholders thought The 614 for Linden’s partnership with the neighborhood started “rocky.” Stakeholders felt The 614 for Linden’s original grant application to JPMorgan Chase should have been developed with neighborhood leaders present from the beginning. To demonstrate its well-meaning intentions and commitment to working with the community moving forward, the Collaborative convened Linden's leaders for monthly meetings to collect feedback on the initiative and each project taking place and identify partnership opportunities. This on-going conversation was necessary for Linden, where stakeholders said top-down decision-making has not always benefitted residents.

•

Staff working in a neighborhood should be reflective of the community they serve. While some stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden was a diverse group working with the necessary individuals, several felt the Collaborative could better represent Linden’s population. One participant from the stakeholder interviews said it was a good time for the Collaborative partners and other prominent organizations to look at the makeup of their boards and staff working in neighborhoods like Linden to determine if they are reflective of the people living there. Racial disparities have unequivocally demonstrated the importance of representation and the need to reverse the impacts of systematic inequality. In Year I, The 614 for Linden incorporated two grassroots community partners, St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation. It also had regular communication with Linden’s elected area commissioners and other civic leaders to ensure the Collaborative was reflective of Linden and facilitating projects consistent with the community’s priorities.

•

It is essential to meet people where they are when engaging residents. It is especially crucial for organizations that do not have existing neighborhood ties to earn a community’s trust by becoming a neighborhood presence. They can engage residents by meeting them where they already are, like community events, barbers and beauty shops, community centers, and churches. In Year I, The 614 for Linden strived to be public-facing, engaged residents by hosting open houses in both North and South Linden, attended existing community events, and facilitated informal conversations with interested residents. One community stakeholder said, "the more dialogue, the better," and felt the Collaborative had the opportunity to “set the standard” for how outside funders should communicate and work with the community.

•

Efforts should be explicit about how they serve the neighborhood and who they benefit. In Year I, community stakeholders expressed their desire for more data related to The 614 for Linden’s activities and who benefitted from the Collaborative's services. They believed the Collaborative needed to raise awareness about their projects and be clear about how much of the PRO Neighborhoods funds were going to each of the One Linden Plan’s four big ideas. One stakeholder said the Collaborative could help communicate the importance of Linden's

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revitalization to the entire City; "the health of Linden and the residents is important for the health of Columbus." In response, the Collaborative developed a website to serve as a clearinghouse for information on The 614 for Linden. The site, www.the614forlinden.org, shares the Collaborative’s mission, impact, and goals; describes each partner and their role in The 614 for Linden, and provides information on projects and upcoming events. •

Flexibility and willingness to pivot the initial approach are necessary. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for the Collaborative and the Linden neighborhood. At the start of the crisis, The 614 for Linden quickly pivoted its initial approach to respond to immediate community needs. In the stakeholder interviews, participants expressed concern that the pandemic would lead to more evictions and foreclosures in Linden. St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation saw a surge in their food pantry clients. These challenges demonstrated the critical need for rent and mortgage assistance and resources to increase food access in Linden. Following St. Stephen’s Community House’s and the Community of Caring Development Foundation’s guidance, the Collaborative reallocated $50,000 of PRO Neighborhoods funds to address Linden’s growing housing instability and food insecurity caused by the pandemic. This change in the Collaborative’s initial plans was necessary for stabilizing many Linden families during times of unemployment, sickness, and uncertainty. One stakeholder said St. Stephen's Community House, in particular, "really answered the call" regarding COVID-19.

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Conclusion In the Collaborative’s first year, it established a nearly $20 million fund for affordable housing in Linden, which was utilized in preserving 230 affordable housing units. The Collaborative stabilized 88 individuals at-risk of homelessness and assisted 73 potential small business clients, closing on six loans. The Collaborative also conducted a feasibility study related to establishing a grocery store in Linden and started conversations with potential grocery operators as well as provided wraparound health services for residents. Additionally, the Collaborative provided critical resources during the COVID-19 pandemic to support its partners, St. Stephen’s Community House and the Community of Caring Development Foundation, in addressing food and housing insecurity. In Year I, a total of $50,000 helped purchase fresh food and refrigeration equipment for food pantries and provided emergency rent and utility assistance to Linden residents. Year I of The 614 for Linden also revealed the following lessons, which may be of value to others in the field: •

Collaboration with neighborhood leaders and residents from the beginning is critical.

•

Staff working in a neighborhood should be reflective of the community they serve.

•

It is essential to meet people where they are when engaging residents.

•

Efforts should be explicit about how they serve the neighborhood and who they benefit.

•

Flexibility and willingness to pivot the initial approach are necessary.

YEAR II WORK PLAN Moving forward, in Year II, the Collaborative plans to make further progress towards its goals and ensure PRO Neighborhoods grant obligations are met. The Collaborative developed the following plan for its second year of The 614 for Linden. From October 1, 2020–September 30, 2021, the Collaborative will strive to:  Host one visibility event  Participate in one in-person PRO Neighborhoods CDFI peer learning activity  Hold quarterly check-in meetings to report on progress and to course-correct, as needed  Commit at least 50 percent of affordable housing funding  Assist 70 individuals with rapid rehousing services  Offer small business technical assistance to 80 clients, closing on 15 loans  Continue collaborating and engaging with community entities to seek out healthy food development(s) in the area

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References Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio. “Make home AFFORDABLE for everyone in our community,” Home Page, www.ahaco.org (accessed November 2020) Biospace. “CVS Health Invests $13.7 Million to Renovate Low-Income Housing, Fund Community Programs in Columbus,” September 16, 2020, www.biospace.com/article/releases/cvs-healthinvests-13-7-million-to-renovate-low-income-housing-fund-community-programs-in-columbus/ (accessed November 2020) City of Columbus. “The 614 for Linden to Advance the One Linden Community Plan,” November 25, 2019, www.columbus.gov/Templates/Detail.aspx?id=2147512861 (accessed October 2020) Clay, Jarrod. “CVS invests $13.7 million to renovate low-income housing, fund programs in Columbus,” ABC6, September 16, 2020, https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/cvs-invests-137million-to-renovate-low-income-housing-fund-programs-in-columbus (accessed November 2020) Evans, Nick. “Columbus Leaders Launch '614 For Linden' With $5 Million From Private Donors,” WOSU, November 25, 2019, https://radio.wosu.org/post/columbus-leaders-launch-614-linden-5million-private-donors#stream/0 Foley, Mike. “New Market Will Serve Linden Residents With Food And Health Screenings,” WCBE, August 28, 2020, www.wcbe.org/post/new-market-will-serve-linden-residents-food-and-healthscreenings Homeport. “Digging In for Kenlawn Place,” August 5, 2020, www.homeportohio.org/newsposts/2020/8/5/digging-in-for-kenlawn-place JPMorgan Chase Foundation. “Our Approach: Our Model for Impact,” www.jpmorganchase.com/impact/our-approach/neighborhood-revitalization (accessed October 2020) McLaughlin, Jack. “Revitalizing Linden,” 614NOW, November 11, 2020, https://614now.com/2020/culture/revitalizing-linden (accessed December 2020) Namigadde, Adora. “CVS Funds South Linden Apartment Renovations as Part of Health Initiative,” WOSU Public Media, September 16, 2020, https://radio.wosu.org/post/cvs-funds-south-lindenapartment-renovations-part-health-initiative#stream/0 (accessed November 2020) Neighborhood Design Center. One Linden Plan, City of Columbus, 2018, www.ourlinden.com/theplan (accessed November 2020) Redfin. “Printable Housing Market Data,” Data Center, September 2020, www.redfin.com/news/data-center/printable-market-data/

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Scott Moran, Emma. “Central Ohio nonprofit's 'Farmacy in the City' program in South Linden to combine diet, medicine,” Columbus Dispatch, October 28, 2020, www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/health-fitness/2020/10/28/columbus-nonprofits-providefresh-food-pharmacy-care-south-linden/3655317001/ (accessed November 2020) Somali Link. “Who Are We,” About Us Page, www.somalilinknews.com/about (accessed November 2020) U.S. Census Bureau, “Forecasts for 2020 and 2025,” Esri, 2020, https://bao.arcgis.com/esriBAO/ (accessed November 2020) Wallick Communities. “Property Management,” What We Do, www.wallick.com/services/property-management (accessed November 2020) Woods, Jim. “CVS Health will invest $13.7 million to renovate Rosewind in South Linden,” Columbus Dispatch, September 16, 2020, www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/health-fitness/2020/09/16/cvshealth-will-invest-137-million-to-renovate-rosewind-in-south-linden/114035586/ (accessed November 2020)

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Appendix Table 1. Linden & Columbus Baseline Data Source: Esri 2020/2025 Updated Demographic Data, unless noted

Linden

City of Columbus

Total Population

38,536

888,145

Population by Age

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

Age 0 - 4

2,666

6.9%

58,814

6.6%

Age 5 - 9

2,630

6.8%

55,020

6.2%

Age 10 - 14

2,551

6.6%

52,346

5.9%

Age 15 - 19

2,318

6.0%

58,414

6.6%

Age 20 - 24

2,499

6.5%

90,845

10.2%

Age 25 - 34

5,325

13.8%

152,228

17.1%

Age 35 - 44

4,882

12.7%

121,357

13.7%

Age 45 - 54

4,892

12.7%

100,091

11.3%

Age 55 - 64

5,357

13.9%

94,268

10.6%

Age 65 - 74

3,433

8.9%

63,623

7.2%

Age 75 - 84

1,416

3.7%

28,684

3.2%

Age 85+

566

1.5%

12,455

1.4%

Population Density (residents/square mile)

5,928/square mile

3,945/square mile

37.6

33.3

Number of Males

18,661

435,655

Number of Females

19,875

452,490

Median Age

Race & Ethnicity

Number

Percent

Number

Percent

White Alone

15,685

40.7%

496,962

56.0%

Black Alone

19,485

50.6%

267,428

30.1%

American Indian Alone

0.2%

2,201

0.2%

Asian Alone

712

1.8%

55,317

6.2%

Pacific Islander Alone

0.1%

468

0.1%

Some Other Race Alone

854

2.2%

30,283

3.4%

Two or More Races

1,674

4.3%

35,485

4.0%

Hispanic Origin (Any Race)

1,788

4.6%

61,063

6.9%

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Source: Esri 2020/2025 Updated Demographic Data, unless noted

Linden

City of Columbus

25,872

572,706

Less than 9th Grade

5.2%

3.2%

9th - 12th Grade, No Diploma

13.8%

6.3%

High School Graduate

29.8%

21.2%

GED/Alternative Credential

5.6%

3.6%

Some College, No Degree

24.3%

20.7%

Associate Degree

6.7%

7.2%

Bachelor’s Degree

10.4%

24.3%

Graduate/Professional Degree

4.2%

13.6%

Population 16+ Employed

78.9%

83.5%

Population 16+ Unemployment rate

21.1%

16.5%

Percentage of households living below the poverty line in the past 12 months (Source: 2014-2018 ACS Estimates, Prepared by Esri)

27.7%

17.2%

Median household income

$36,615

$53,489

Per capita income

$19,382

$29,766

Cost burdened renters with housing costs greater than 30% of household income (Source: HUD CHAS Census Tract Data, 2013-2017)

4,969

79,875

Cost burdened owner-occupants with housing costs greater than 30% of household income (Source: HUD CHAS Census Tract Data, 2013-2017)

1,959

31,605

Linden

City of Columbus

Owner-occupied housing units

8,328

170,395

Renter-occupied housing units

7,489

202,837

Number of households

15,816

373,232

Number of housing units

18,423

408,141

$78,967

$154,074

Population 25+ by Educational Attainment Total

Source: Esri 2020/2025 Updated Demographic Data, unless noted Housing Market

Median home value

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Source: Esri 2020/2025 Updated Demographic Data, unless noted

Linden

City of Columbus

Number of single-family home sales (Source: Franklin County Auditor, 2019)*

1,225

16,296

Average days single-family homes sat on the market (Source: Redfin, September 2020 Market Update)

37 (North Linden), 42 (South Linden)

Average single-family home sales price (Source: Redfin, September 2020 Market Update)

$119,000 (North Linden), $66,000 (South Linden)

$220,000

Number of vacant residential properties (Source: Franklin County Auditor, 2019)*

249

6,172

Number of vacant commercial/industrial properties (Source: Franklin County Auditor, 2019)*

300

2,979

Number of tax delinquent properties (Source: Franklin County Auditor, 2019)*

1,835

16,098

147

430

Market Strength

Market Distress

Number of land bank properties for sale (Source: The Land Bank Center-Columbus and Franklin County Land Banks, 2020)

*Franklin County Auditor data does not include data for Columbus areas that are outside of Franklin County. The Auditor’s vacancy data consists of vacant lots and buildings and sites with no improvements (i.e., abandoned); 4+ unit apartment buildings represent commercial properties rather than residential.

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Exhibit 1. Stakeholder Interview Invitation & Questions

614 for Linden

Neighborhood Advisory Committee & Implementation Partner Interview Questions YEAR 1 INTERVIEWS: JULY 2020

INTRODUCTION & PURPOSE In 2019, JPMorgan Chase awarded grants to community organizations across the country to support neighborhood development projects as part of JPMorgan Chase’s PRO Neighborhoods competition. The 614 for Linden initiative was one of only seven winning submissions and received $5 million. It represents a Collaborative made up of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and nonprofits that seek to implement four of the big ideas identified in the City of Columbus’ One Linden Plan. Its goal is to build upon the One Linden Plan's work to create an equitable, opportunity-rich neighborhood for existing residents. As part of the PRO Neighborhoods grant requirements, the Collaborative has hired a third-party evaluator, Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC), to track The 614 for Linden’s progress toward its goals. GOPC is a statewide nonprofit based in Columbus, with expertise in grant evaluation that will be utilizing qualitative and quantitative data for its assessment. This work includes conducting yearly interviews with community stakeholders. The first year of discussions intends to provide GOPC and the Collaborative with a sense of baseline perceptions of Linden and to catalog expectations for and/or concerns about The 614 for Linden initiative. GOPC will provide regular updates on the information it collects in the form of three annual reports, over the life of the grant. The purpose of these reports is to provide progress updates and share learnings and insights with JPMorgan Chase, the community, and the broader field. The first annual report is expected to be published in January 2021.

INTERVIEWEE ANONYMITY Because of your unique, professional position in Columbus or Linden, GOPC cannot promise you complete anonymity in the three annual reports or private conversations had with Collaborative partners. However, GOPC, to the best of its abilities, will avoid using identifying information that could accurately associate you with any feedback. If GOPC decides it is beneficial to use any of your direct quotes with your name in the reports, the organization will ask for your permission and allow you to review the quote in context before it is published.

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INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 1. What is your experience working with The 614 for Linden and the Collaborative partners? 2. What are the current opportunities and challenges in the Linden Neighborhood? 3. Which of The 614 for Linden’s activities do you believe should be top priorities? Those activities include 1) lending for affordable housing development, 2) consultation and support services for small businesses and entrepreneurs, 3) healthy food business development, and 4) rapid rehousing services and homelessness prevention. 4. What unique benefits and qualities has The 614 for Linden already brought to Linden? 5. Have you seen the evidence, or do you think that The 614 for Linden investments will attract additional resources or development to the area? 6. What do you hope will result from The 614 for Linden initiative? 7. Do you have any concerns about The 614 for Linden, or expect the Collaborative will need to overcome any specific hurdles in its work? 8. Do you believe The 614 for Linden and the Collaborative partners are furthering racial equity with their work? How so, or how can they do better? 9. Do you believe The 614 for Linden and the Collaborative partners pivoted to address neighborhood challenges related to COVID-19? How so, or how can they do better? 10. Are there additional ways that The 614 for Linden could or should engage the public?

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Exhibit 2. Stakeholder Interview Analysis

To: Ohio Capital Finance Corporation & Partners, “The Collaborative” From: Greater Ohio Policy Center, Lindsey Elam, Manager of Research & Alison Goebel, Executive Director Date: September 8, 2020 Re: The 614 for Linden, Neighborhood Advisory Committee & Implementation Partners Interview Analysis Purpose: Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) intends for this memo to assist The 614 for Linden in tracking its progress towards its goals. GOPC expects that this document will be shared with the Collaborative partners and others as they see fit. Parts of this memo and GOPC's analysis will also be incorporated into the annual white paper for Year I of The 614 for Linden initiative. This annual report is expected to be published in January 2021. INTRODUCTION In 2019, JPMorgan Chase awarded grants to community organizations across the country to support neighborhood development projects as part of JPMorgan Chase's PRO Neighborhoods competition. The 614 for Linden was one of only seven winning submissions and received $5 million to be used over three years. It represents a Collaborative of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and nonprofits seeking to implement four of the big ideas identified in the City of Columbus' One Linden Plan (the Plan). The goal is to build upon the work of the Plan to create an equitable, opportunity-rich neighborhood for existing Linden residents. As part of the PRO Neighborhoods grant requirements, The 614 for Linden Collaborative (the Collaborative) has hired a third-party evaluator (GOPC) to track The 614 for Linden's progress toward its goals. GOPC is a statewide nonprofit based in Columbus, Ohio, with expertise in grant evaluation that is utilizing qualitative and quantitative data for its assessment. This work includes conducting yearly interviews with community stakeholders. The first year of discussions intends to provide GOPC and the Collaborative with a sense of baseline perceptions of Linden and catalog expectations for and concerns about The 614 for Linden initiative; following is GOPC's analysis of the Year I stakeholder conversations. METHODOLOGY The most robust quantitative data sources for tracking neighborhood change can lag "real-time," so GOPC is utilizing qualitative methods to analyze how the Collaborative's investments are perceived and how perceptions of Linden change over time. From July to early August 2020, GOPC conducted one-onone stakeholder interviews with The 614 for Linden's Neighborhood Advisory Committee and implementation partners.

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GOPC invited stakeholders to participate in 45- to 60-minute phone interviews. GOPC intended these meetings to be in-person but decided to hold these discussions over the phone to ensure all participants and interviewers felt comfortable during the COVID-19 pandemic. GOPC plans for in-person interviews to resume for the initiative's following years, once coronavirus is no longer a threat. During discussions, GOPC asked each interviewee the same questions. STAKEHOLDERS Below are stakeholders, chosen by the Collaborative for Year I interviews, and their connections to The 614 for Linden. Neighborhood Advisory Committee As part of the evaluation process, GOPC is interviewing the Neighborhood Advisory Committee for each year of the grant. Several grassroots organizations are represented among the Committee, including the Greater Linden Business Network, a nonprofit that connects small businesses to resources in the area, and Linden’s social enterprise group, which provides support for local entrepreneurs. North Linden and South Linden Area Commissioners are also on the Committee, and many members were heavily involved in drafting the One Linden Plan. The Collaborative has monthly communication with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee to share project updates. Due to COVID-19, in April 2020, they shifted all community outreach to online and phone. This on-going communication has sparked partnerships between the Collaborative and civic leaders; it is fostering a collective group working together towards neighborhood revitalization. For Year I, GOPC interviewed the following members of the Committee. • • • • • •

Andrea Russell, North Linden Area Commissioner Holly Borghese, North Linden Area Commissioner Peg Williams, South Linden Area Commissioner & Linden’s social enterprise group Leader Sadicka White, One Linden Plan Consultant: Sadicka & Associates, LLC President Carla Gwinn, Greater Linden Business Network Interim President & Treasurer Robert Caldwell, AnswerPoverty.org Founder

Other members of the Committee, who were invited but unavailable for the interviews, included Reverend Charles Tatum from the Good Shepherd Baptist Church and Concerned Linden Clergy; South Linden Area Commissioners Lawrence Calloway and Sundi Corner; and Neighborhood Program Specialist Delena Scales from the City of Columbus’ Department of Neighborhoods. Implementation Partners GOPC also interviewed The 614 for Linden’s implementation partners; all have varying levels of relationships with the Collaborative. Some have long-standing partnerships, while others have not

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worked much with Collaborative members in the past. For Year I, GOPC interviewed the following implementation partners. • • • • •

The City of Columbus, Carla Williams-Scott, Department of Neighborhoods Director, & Nick Bankston, Project Manager, Neighborhood Transformation Strategies Homeport, Leah Evans, Vice President of Real Estate Development Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, Sonja Nelson, Assistant Vice President of Resident Initiatives Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Tammy Tucker, Agency Relations Manager Columbus Next Generation, Boyce Safford, Executive Director

KEY TAKEAWAYS Following the stakeholder interviews, GOPC compiled participants' feedback and identified key takeaways related to the Collaborative and its goals and progress. The following summary is not reflective of one individuals' responses; instead, it is GOPC’s attempt to synthesize all collected feedback in good faith. Key takeaways are organized by general input on the Collaborative and by The 614 for Linden's working groups, based on their relevance to each groups' area of expertise. The Collaborative (Ohio Capital Finance Corporation, Affordable Housing Trust, Finance Fund, ECDI, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Healthy Homes, Community Shelter Board, CD4AP, Affordable Housing Alliance, St. Stephen’s, and the Community of Caring Development Foundation) The following are key takeaways regarding The 614 for Linden and the Collaborative as a whole. 1. The 614 for Linden aligns with the City of Columbus' holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization. The One Linden Plan was not just created for the City; one stakeholder said if people are serious about this idea that Columbus is not a great city until everyone thrives, then the Plan is a guide for that. Similar to the One Linden Plan, which represents "a holistic and integrated approach that does not zero in on one particular area," 1 The 614 for Linden represents a large number of diverse partners with varying expertise in neighborhood revitalization. From a large, Southside, anchor institution to some of Linden's own grassroots organizations, the partners embody the comprehensive approach needed in the community. Stakeholders felt wide-ranging efforts would have to work together to reverse the consequences of redlining, systemic racism, and prolonged disinvestment. Interviewees also made connections between the Collaborative’s priorities and social determinants of health. All of the Collaborative’s 614 for Linden activities are interconnected, and many stakeholders believed they have the potential to be catalytic for each other.

Neighborhood Design Center. The One Linden Plan, City of Columbus, October 2018, www.ourlinden.com/the-plan (accessed August 2020), 68

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2. The Collaborative should be representative of the community. While some stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden was a diverse group working with the necessary individuals, several participants felt the Collaborative should be more representative of Linden’s population. One participant said it was a good time for the Collaborative partners and other prominent organizations to look at the makeup of their boards and staff, working in neighborhoods like Linden, to determine if they are reflective of the people living there. Another stakeholder discussed the insidious nature of institutional racism and questioned the diversity of the Collaborative—pointing out the lack of representation within GOPC, the Collaborative’s local evaluator. The interviewee said they were also unaware of whether or not JPMorgan Chase was diverse, but thought Chase had a negative reputation because of the previous housing crisis. Furthermore, stakeholders discussed specific tensions around the lack of representation during the drafting of the original PRO Neighborhoods grant application; they wanted to know who from Linden helped and if any black people were involved. Participants thought Linden's area commissioners, who are elected to represent the community, needed to be involved from the start. One stakeholder said The 614 for Linden came together and chose Linden; Linden did not choose them, which was an issue. 3. Collaboration with neighborhood leaders and stakeholders is critical. Stakeholders felt the partnerships between The 614 for Linden and the community started "rocky." Some participants thought the Collaborative failed when they prescribed how the PRO Neighborhoods funds would be used without getting community feedback; the Collaborative made decisions based on their perspectives and not Linden's. Now, The 614 for Linden is working towards rebuilding trust by convening Linden's leaders for monthly meetings to collect their feedback on the initiative. This on-going conversation is unique and necessary; one stakeholder felt all the direct dialogue made The 614 for Linden an unprecedented effort. Another participant discussed the benefits of their new collaboration with ECDI on small business activities. Stakeholders thought the Collaborative should engage other voices as well, including Linden's clergy leaders, the community center, and the library. One stakeholder pointed out the importance of both North and South Linden’s involvement; they will need individualized attention because of their differences in needs. 4. The Collaborative can support Linden in taking action. Linden's greatest asset is its residents, and many people are ready to take action. Civic-mindedness is apparent throughout Linden with blessing boxes and library boxes; "Linden has a huge heart." However, resources are scarce, and the community lacks capacity. One stakeholder said Linden needed a "social implant," an entity that could provide support and create avenues for Linden's families to succeed. The Collaborative could assist Linden in developing a credible structure and then support it. Other participants thought the Collaborative should expand Linden’s capabilities by supporting its existing civic infrastructure. ECDI is collaborating with the Greater Linden Business Network; stakeholders believed these types of efforts were needed. The Collaborative has to represent "equitable investment, not charity." 48

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Stakeholders said community leaders are looking to set up a neighborhood foundation, and The 614 for Linden has been part of those conversations. However, due to COVID-19, potential partners are experiencing challenges, so setup is taking longer than anticipated. Interviewees felt Linden’s social enterprise group would also benefit from the Collaborative’s support. One stakeholder said the social enterprise group already received USDA funding, and they are working with the Ohio State University, which demonstrates credibility. 5. Most stakeholders are confident that The 614 for Linden can attract additional resources. The 614 for Linden has brought both stakeholders and monetary support to Linden, and the majority of stakeholders believe the Collaborative will attract additional resources and development. One participant said Community Development for All People (CD4AP) could be beneficial for Linden because they have proven they are "one of the best fundraisers you've seen in your life." Another interviewee was optimistic about the Collaborative's ability to attract additional partners into Linden because they saw it happen; The 614 for Linden connected their organization to a valuable partner that would not have happened otherwise. Stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden signified to the development community that Linden is worthwhile, and investment in the area is the right thing to do. One interviewee thought the fruit of the Collaborative's labor would come to maturity in the next several years. Another stakeholder said, if the additional investment does not happen right away, The 614 for Linden has at least brought attention to the community; Linden is at the forefront of everyone's mind. Both The 614 for Linden and the One Linden Plan have spotlighted the area's challenges and strive to handle those issues with awareness and care. With the new interest in Linden, another stakeholder thought the Collaborative could get involved in local advocacy to create "lasting change" in the community. Another participant said the Collaborative could communicate the importance of Linden's revitalization to the entire City; "the health of Linden and the residents is important for the health of Columbus." 6. Stakeholders hope that the Collaborative will change perceptions of Linden and foster community pride. Symptoms of decades of disinvestment are visible in Linden; some property owners (who may not live in the neighborhoods) have stopped caring for their properties, and litter and illegal dumping are problems. One stakeholder said, "There is rich history in Linden and deep loyalty to Linden, but its history is also one of intentional segregation and disinvestment which stole opportunity from its elders and has led to cynicism and hopelessness in its youth." Columbus must acknowledge these realities and make concerted efforts to “reverse it and compensate for it." While Linden’s older generations have a lot of community pride, it still needs to be strengthened due to misconceptions about the area. That generational pride also needs to be passed down to younger residents; stakeholders believe strengthening pride in Linden can resolve a lot of other issues. One interviewee said it would be challenging, but they felt now is the time to tackle this problem. With new and different services to improve residents’ well-being, stakeholders felt the Collaborative’s investments could help change T he 6 14 for Li nden | 20 19– 20 20

perceptions of Linden and foster community pride, which was also an objective of the One Linden Plan. 2 7. The 614 for Linden has a role to play in furthering racial equity. Several stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden was already promoting racial equity because the Collaborative’s investments will likely benefit the black community by providing wealth-building and employment opportunities as well as create stable housing, which helps address the root causes of inequities. One interviewee said the Collaborative was combating systemic racism with their anti-racist programs. However, another interviewee did not think furthering racial equity was a function of The 614 for Linden. Instead, they suggested the Collaborative provide support for what the Linden community wanted to achieve because the Collaborative can "never understand why people are feeling the way they do." Another stakeholder said The 614 for Linden would be furthering racial equity when they see "Linden residents benefiting from playing by all the same rules" and building wealth the same as white families. "To call Columbus the Opportunity City means it must deal with the systemic barriers to opportunity—segregation in housing and education; digital divide; health care disparities, as well as disparate determinants of health." 8. Stakeholders want a better understanding of who benefits from The 614 for Linden. Stakeholders want to see community benefits agreements, which are legally enforceable contracts between neighborhood organizations and developers by which stakeholders negotiate for benefits to improve residents’ lives in exchange for public support for the developer’s proposed project. 3 They want to see data related to The 614 for Linden’s activities and know who benefits from the Collaborative's services. Stakeholders hope the Collaborative will share client demographic data and information on the businesses served. One interviewee said they would like to know if the Greater Linden Business Network's companies were receiving any of The 614 for Linden dollars. They did know the Collaborative had asked the Network to refer people to ECDI and other partners, which was positive because that linkage did not exist before. Additionally, stakeholders thought the community could offer solutions if the Collaborative had trouble reaching their target population. Several stakeholders were also unsure about what The 614 for Linden is and does. For example, they did not know if the Collaborative supported Homeport's housing project, and they were confused about Nationwide Children's and CD4AP's connections to The 614 for Linden. Participants believed the Collaborative needed to raise awareness about their projects and be clear about how much of the PRO Neighborhoods funds were going to each of the four big ideas.

Neighborhood Design Center. The One Linden Plan, City of Columbus, October 2018, www.ourlinden.com/the-plan (accessed August 2020), 50

All-In Cities. “Community benefits agreements,” PolicyLink, https://allincities.org/toolkit/community-benefits-agreements (accessed September 2020) 3

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Housing Working Group (Ohio Capital Finance Corporation, Affordable Housing Trust, Healthy Homes, and Community Shelter Board) The following are key takeaways that are relevant to the Housing Working Group’s expertise. 1. Most stakeholders prioritize residential development in Linden. The majority of stakeholders thought affordable housing was the most important of the Collaborative’s activities. One participant said the homes needed to be "truly affordable" and consider a retiree's income. Another interviewee opposed affordable housing development, saying Linden did not have a lot of space, so they did not prioritize it at this time. One other stakeholder felt affordable housing should be built in the City’s wealthier neighborhoods with decent schools and living-wage employment, instead of clustered in Linden, which is a struggling area. Beyond that, stakeholders believed Linden needed a mix of homes at varying price points to serve different levels of Linden's area median income (AMI). Some participants thought the lack of housing diversity contributed to Linden’s failing businesses. Another interviewee explained housing construction was important because it is visible; residents can see it and participate in it. They also wanted Linden’s historic homes saved rather than demolished because they are significant to residents that have lived in the neighborhood for decades. 2. Linden needs programming for existing homeowners and renters. Linden is rich in assets, including civic-minded residents, proximity to downtown, and great accessibility and mobility. Stakeholders also reported Linden attracts recent college graduates because of its walkability and smaller, affordable homes with yards. As development starts to move into Linden, participants want to ensure existing residents are not displaced, like they have seen happen in other Columbus neighborhoods. According to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), Central Ohio expects to have a population of 3 million people by 2050. 4 One participant thought, as an alternative to focusing on what to do with new residents, Columbus should strategize to retain its existing population by ensuring affordability. Another interviewee said this was a state advocacy issue, and seniors needed a freeze on their property taxes to avoid them losing their properties. The City of Columbus reports it is committed to preventing the displacement of Linden's residents as a result of being priced out of their homes. Stakeholders thought the Collaborative could support this effort by providing programming to help homeowners with property maintenance and code violations; the Healthy Homes home improvement grants are helpful for South Linden. Interviewees were also concerned that the

Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. “Central Ohio Population to Reach 3 Million by 2050,” Delaware Gazette, December 2018, https://www.delgazette.com/news/73449/central-ohio-population-to-reach-3-million-by2050#:~:text=COLUMBUS%20%E2%80%94%20Central%20Ohio%20is%20on,Regional%20Planning%20Commission%20(MORPC) (accessed August 2020) 4

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pandemic would lead to more evictions and foreclosures, making rent and mortgage assistance a critical need. 3. Linden needs tailored strategies to address its unique homelessness challenges. "Everyone needs a place to lay their head at night, a place to call home," said one stakeholder who prioritized housing affordability and rapid rehousing services. Interviewees felt programming was needed to help Linden youths who are aging out of foster care; teenagers are "house hopping" because they do not have permanent homes. One participant said Linden had two homeless camps; the City cleaned up one site, but the other is still in use. Stakeholders also mentioned Linden’s human trafficking issues, which appear to increase during the warmer months. During a call with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee, the Community Shelter Board reported that they had served 50 families. One participant thought, if those individuals were placed in Linden, maybe there was an opportunity to renovate properties that are at risk of being demolished to serve the Community Shelter Board’s rapid rehousing clients. However, two participants said they were unaware of Linden’s homelessness issues; one felt the homeless were migrating to the neighborhood because of its vacant buildings. Economic Development Working Group (Finance Fund and ECDI) The following are key takeaways that are relevant to the Economic Development Working Group’s expertise. 1. One of Linden's biggest challenges is its lack of job opportunities. The One Linden planning process identified Linden’s lack of employment opportunities as one of its biggest challenges. 5 One stakeholder explained Linden was historically a blue-collar, bedroom community; but, when industry left, there was no concerted effort or change in skillsets to address the loss of jobs, which resulted in "flight" from the neighborhood. One participant said Linden needed a large job center, and another stakeholder hoped the Collaborative could help create a new, appropriate economic development model for Linden. The Columbus' Sisters of Empowerment was mentioned as another potentially beneficial partner for the Collaborative. Participants also want to see children benefit from The 614 for Linden, so they have the skills to compete and sustain their future lifestyle. One stakeholder said youth need a better understanding of their options for the future; financial literacy and retirement savings education may be helpful. Young people need to start "thinking about their lives past the age of 20." One participant referenced Linden's uptick in gun violence, saying this was a symptom more than anything else, and they hoped the City would continue to prioritize investment in Linden to

City of Columbus. The One Linden Plan, October 2018, www.ourlinden.com/the-plan (accessed August 2020), 20-22

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"keep our eye on the ball: economic development." Stakeholders believed The 614 for Linden is a chance for public and private investment to create the critically-needed employment opportunities for sustained change. 2. Support for small businesses and entrepreneurs is vital for Linden. Stakeholders felt that both North and South Linden consumers and small businesses are underserved. Henry Golatt, who is in charge of the City of Columbus' small business agenda, was mentioned as someone the Collaborative should engage. One interviewee was concerned ECDI’s technical assistance efforts may not have the impact they expect because Linden does not have many existing businesses. Stakeholders want to see residents opening stores and offering products that serve the community's needs. One participant thought fostering entrepreneurs was also the answer to Linden's food insecurity and housing issues, saying people can afford housing and food if they have living-wage employment. However, the same stakeholder did not think small business loans were what Linden needed because of their potential to be harmful. Instead, they felt a business incubator was needed; Linden had one planned previously that never came to fruition. Another participant said some entrepreneurs utilize ECDI’s food fort and come to the neighborhood with food carts. Stakeholders felt this cross-pollination was a positive way to generate income for businesses, while also providing a service for the community. Additionally, Linden has over 80 churches that are currently operating based on what parishioners donate. Due to a lack of resources, the religious institutions—who provide food, clothing, and youth services—have reduced their programming. One stakeholder believed the faith-based organizations should start to view themselves as businesses so that they can qualify for loans and other resources. The Collaborative could provide education and supportive services, “one church at a time,” to help these entities think outside of the box. Participants also believed Linden’s small businesses require technology and training, including education on the basics (e.g., using a scanning app). One stakeholder said the neighborhood needs a place with free printer and scanner access. Interviewees thought the lack of technology was one reason people did not participate in the PPP program and other COVID-19 resources. Additionally, a stakeholder said South Linden does not have financial banking partners, which makes fiscal transactions more complicated. 3. Stakeholders want to see viable storefronts, commercial development, and aesthetic and infrastructure improvements. Despite evolutions in business and online shopping trends due to coronavirus, one participant said there will always be a need for neighborhood commercial development (e.g., bodegas, beauty and barber shops, telephone places, and restaurants). Some stakeholders thought, specifically, Cleveland Avenue needed to be activated with retail. Several interviewees mentioned the prevalence of automotive businesses along the major corridor; they did not believe those uses contributed to the area's aesthetics, which also currently lacks

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consistency. Participants hope the Collaborative can help to create a safer environment in Linden; stakeholders want green space and child care options. They want people to feel secure outside, and children to be safe walking to and from school. Linden has seen new positive investments: the firehouse, library, community center, Point of Pride office building, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority campus, and bus stop improvements; the Collaborative can build off this momentum. However, some stakeholders are concerned that Linden lacks the infrastructure needed to support the new proposed development. One interviewee said the City of Columbus had not updated Linden’s water and sewage system in decades. Access to Wi-Fi is also a challenge, so they hope the City will have better infrastructure in place before development moves in. Health & Wellness Working Group (Finance Fund, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, CD4AP, and St. Stephen’s) The following are key takeaways that are relevant to the Health & Wellness Working Group’s expertise. 1. The Collaborative pivoted to address COVID-19, but Linden needs more support. When face to face meetings was no longer an option, the Collaborative pivoted to host all meetings online. Some participants were also aware that the Collaborative shifted $50,000 of the PRO Neighborhoods grant to support the Community of Caring Development Foundation (New Salem) and St. Stephen's in providing food and rental assistance during the pandemic. One stakeholder said St. Stephen's "really answered the call," in regards to COVID-19. They also mentioned that St. Stephen’s was becoming more accessible by partnering with the City of Columbus' Smart Columbus initiative to provide transportation between local apartment buildings and their location in Linden. Stakeholders thought The 614 for Linden was an opportunity to identify the neighborhood’s service gaps and address them; one participant felt efforts should focus on keeping people in their homes and providing technology for online learning. Another interviewee thought the Collaborative should distribute educational information on what COVID-19 is, what it does, who it impacts, and how to remain safe. They believed this information could be delivered with door knockers or other direct messaging techniques. Stakeholders felt there was a lack of understanding and best-practice knowledge among the Linden community; some businesses are not aware of the safety requirements for employees and customers. 2. Linden needs more access to fresh food, and it deserves a full-service grocery. While some stakeholders discussed Linden's struggles with food access, others said Linden was not entirely a food desert because the corner stores started providing some healthy foods. One stakeholder thought people should stop calling Linden a food desert. The food pantries help meet some of the community’s needs, and stakeholders said many people primarily shop there and buy

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produce from Local Matters, a Columbus nonprofit committed to improving healthy food access. Because of these trends, accessibility to places like St. Stephen's and the Community of Caring Development Foundation (New Salem) is essential. One stakeholder said connecting residents to food is a challenge because so many people rely on their neighbors and family to drive them, or they take a bus or taxi, which cuts into their living expenses. Many participants thought Linden needed a grocery store; the nearby Kroger, in the Northern Lights area, closed in early 2018. 6 One stakeholder said The 614 for Linden should focus on bringing a full-service grocery to Linden because the community deserved it; this type of development would improve residents' quality of life, as long as they could shop there. To ensure an inclusive supermarket that benefits the community, stakeholders said residents should be "at the table from the beginning." One stakeholder also felt Linden’s social enterprise group could work on food-related initiatives in Linden. With additional resources, the Collective could support the growth and production of food products, “garden-to-table style,” while also creating work opportunities for residents. 3. Stakeholders are optimistic about the Eagle Market. Stakeholders thought the Collaborative’s activities surrounding healthy food access had made progress; for example, CD4AP's efforts to open Eagle Market. Participants felt the Market would help with Linden’s “food desert.” One stakeholder said it is an immediate step that provides dignity for customers because it does not look like a food pantry. However, another interviewee said they would have never bought that specific building because of its history; the previous owners did not invest in the property, and the neighborhood viewed them as having corrupt business practices. Stakeholders wanted the community to continue providing input related to the Eagle Market, and they hoped a Linden resident could operate it. Community Engagement Working Group (Nationwide Children’s Hospital, St. Stephen’s, and the Community of Caring Development Foundation + City of Columbus) The following are key takeaways that are relevant to the Community Engagement Working Group’s expertise. 1. The Collaborative needs to earn the community's trust. While many stakeholders acknowledged the Collaborative was working from the One Linden Plan, they also said the Plan stated residents would be involved in initiatives moving forward. According to the Plan, its implementation strategy:

6 Perry, Kimball. “Kroger closing creates ‘food desert’ in North Linden, frustrates officials,” The Columbus Dispatch, January 2018, www.dispatch.com/news/20180121/kroger-closing-creates-food-desert-in-north-linden-frustrates-officials (accessed August 2020)

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“will be driven by the entity or collaborative executing the actionable items of the plan, and it is incumbent upon that entity or collaborative to consider the input of residents captured in this document while also considering the dynamic and evolving input offered by residents in the future.” 7 One stakeholder said their biggest concern about The 614 for Linden was "carpetbaggers," defining them as well-meaning people that are coming into Linden but do not understand its challenges or have local connections. Another interviewee explained “distrust and suspicion” are the results of groups coming in after they have already "met, planned, applied for, and received grant funding before anyone in the neighborhood knows about it." One other participant used the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) as an example; they received $37.45 million in federal funding to improve transit along Cleveland Avenue, 8 but the stakeholder said COTA did not involve Linden's residents. This interviewee believed, if the community cannot be involved with the application process, a grant is worth losing because, in the case of COTA, a well-intentioned project did not accomplish what all it set out to do for Linden. However, other stakeholders said numerous public meetings were held by COTA, which suggests public outreach may not have reached all areas of the community or that the effort could have benefitted from more advertising. One stakeholder said, "Linden has been fertile ground for many a college class project, advanced degree, and resume without itself having any long-term benefit. The distrust, cynicism, and resistance that some involved with this project may be experiencing is for good reason.” Participants hope the Collaborative will prove to be a long-lasting partner for the community. While the three year PRO Neighborhoods grant guarantees the Collaborative will work in Linden for an extended period, fostering community connections and maintaining those relationships will continue to be necessary for The 614 for Linden to be successful. One interviewee felt the Collaborative was learning and starting to communicate with the neighborhood; some of the Collaborative partners have individually reached out to both Linden area commissions. Additionally, stakeholders believed the Community of Caring Development Foundation’s (New Salem) involvement in The 614 for Linden is helpful. 2. The Collaborative should consider creating a marketing campaign and communications strategy. Stakeholders said information on The 614 for Linden should be distributed throughout the neighborhood, and the Collaborative could consider investing in a marketing campaign and communications strategy. One interviewee thought more signage—strategically placed along Cleveland Avenue, McGuffey Road, and I-71 intersections—would be helpful. The Collaborative 7

City of Columbus. The One Linden Plan, October 2018, www.ourlinden.com/the-plan (accessed August 2020), 67

8 Central Ohio Transit Authority. “COTA Signs $37 Million Grant Agreement with Federal Transit Administration for CMAX BRT Project,” June 2016, www.cota.com/news/cota-signs-37-million-grant-agreement-with-federal-transit-administration-for-cmax-brt-project/ (accessed August 2020)

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could develop printed materials and go online (e.g., restart the Linden app, create social media accounts, and make an organization page on nextdoor.com). The City of Columbus recommended the Collaborative post their end of the year reports on the City's One Linden Plan website. Residents need a way to connect with The 614 for Linden’s resources and to view the Collaborative’s reports. Stakeholders want to ensure the Collaborative reaches residents without internet, and some participants are concerned information may only be reaching "pockets" of Linden, not its population in "survival mode." The Collaborative can advertise The 614 for Linden events in the neighborhood publication or mail out informational postcards. One interviewee thought the Collaborative could utilize high school students. Teenagers could deliver information door-todoor on their street for a stipend; this is an example of how to get the word out, while also creating jobs for Linden’s youth. Other participants felt the Collaborative needed to identify the neighborhood's influencers and work through them to inform people about The 614 for Linden. 3. The Collaborative should be visible in the community and meet people where they are. Stakeholders referenced several natural opportunities for the Collaborative to facilitate deeper engagement with the residents. While many events are postponed due to COVID-19, the Collaborative can consider these opportunities for the future: the 5k, national night out, farmer's market, and Jazz in the Park. Stakeholders also thought the Collaborative should engage children and meet people where they are by visiting the churches, beauty shops, and barbers. The Collaborative can use these opportunities to talk with residents and bounce ideas off of them. "The more dialogue, the better;" The 614 for Linden needs to be very public-facing and proactive. One stakeholder felt a community report out would be appropriate, every six months. Stakeholders want to see the Collaborative being thoughtful about engagement, and The 614 for Linden can “set the standard” for how outside funders should communicate with the community.

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