After a year-long effort, the final report of the City of Columbus’ Recovery and Resiliency Advisory Committee has been released, outlining a roadmap for an “equitable community recovery” from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report issues 37 recommendations for the city and public sector, nonprofits and private sector partners to address inequities in health, jobs, housing and digital connectivity to promote systemic community progress.
The work of the 39-member committee was informed by data that showed prior to and throughout the pandemic, all major points of community instability fell disproportionately on people of color and women. The report recommends intentional and equitable investments in these communities to establish an economic base that provides for all residents, which will enable the community to better weather future crises.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and further widened our community’s existing underlying inequities,” said Mayor Andrew Ginther in a statement. “No single entity can address all the challenges we face, but this committee has developed a framework for continued community collaboration and investment that will improve quality of life, particularly among our most vulnerable residents.”
“This was an intensive process, and the recommendations are the result of months of work by leaders throughout the community,” said Franklin County Commissioner John O’Grady, co-chair of the committee. “Just as the community developed the recommendations, the community will play a crucial role in collaboratively implementing and championing these important policies.”
In a press release, the city highlighted initial actions on several of the report’s recommendations, including the distribution of more than $50 million in utility and rental assistance to 25,170 Central Ohio tenants, and the dedication of $2.5 million in American Rescue Plan funds for 250 child care scholarships of up to $10,000 for low-income families earning too much to qualify for state subsidies.
“I appreciate the hard work of the committee members to identify action-oriented community goals,” said Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, committee co-chair. “This moment is a time to do big things for and with working families in Columbus.”
For more information on the Recovery and Resiliency Advisory Committee, including the committee’s final report, visit columbus.gov.