Affordable Housing in Columbus, OH

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Columbus and Franklin County — not generic Section 8 advice. Two things stand out in Columbus right now: CMHA runs a continuous lottery pool rather than an open-and-close waiting list, so open or closed is the wrong question here, and the city has a local source-of-income protection ordinance that makes voucher refusal illegal. The named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in Columbus

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• YWCA Family Center — Columbus's main family shelter; intake for all families experiencing homelessness in Franklin County
• Faith Mission (Lutheran Social Services) — emergency shelter for men, and a separate location for women and families
• Van Buren Center — emergency shelter for single adults, operated through the Community Shelter Board network
• Star House — 24-hour drop-in center and emergency shelter for youth and young adults ages 14–24
• Choices For Victims of Domestic Violence — DV crisis line and shelter: (614) 224-4663 (Columbus) or (800) 247-2336 (statewide). Bilingual advocates
• Community Shelter Board (CSB) — Coordinated Entry — single intake for all CoC-funded shelters in Franklin County. Call 614-274-7000 or 211
• 211 Central Ohio — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Columbus: CMHA Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Columbus are administered by the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), serving more than 15,000 low- and moderate-income households across Franklin County. Current status (checked September 9, 2026):

• CMHA does not say open or closed — it runs a lottery pool. The only status wording on its own Housing Choice Voucher page is "Waitlist selections are currently in process. If selected, you will receive a notice via mail (and email if on file) with the next steps." Register through the CMHA portal at cmhanet.com
• Applying early buys you nothing, and your application expires at two years. CMHA's Administrative Plan: "Applications will be taken continuously or for specified periods of time - eligible applicants will have an equal chance of being drawn in the Lottery irrespective of the date and time of their application," and "Preliminary Applications will be retained in the Lottery Pool for two years. If they have not been drawn in the Wait List Lottery by that time, the applicant will be notified that the Preliminary Application has expired." Diary the date and re-register
• CMHA cut its payment standard on July 1, 2026. In its own statement CMHA says it "is facing a projected funding shortfall within the federal Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Program due to insufficient federal appropriations" and "will be reducing its payment standard from 110% of Fair Market Rent (FMR) to 100% of FMR." CMHA adds that "some voucher holders may be required to contribute a greater share of their income toward housing costs." The statement says nothing about pausing or closing intake
• Public Housing through CMHA — a separate program with its own waitlist for CMHA-owned properties. Apply when you call
• Other special programs: HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities, Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Fairfield Metropolitan Housing Authority, Delaware MHA, Licking MHA, and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency run separate lists with their own openings
• Income limits: Columbus AMI is $109,000 for a family of four; Very Low Income (50% AMI) is $54,500. Many working families qualify — check the limits before assuming you don't
• Status check: call CMHA at (614) 421-6000 if you've already applied and need to verify your position on the list

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Columbus (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local organizations currently operating in Columbus. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• IMPACT Community Action — the largest Community Action Agency in Columbus and Franklin County. Provides emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities. IMPACT prioritizes tenants at eviction court — if you have a scheduled eviction hearing, stop by the IMPACT table at the end of the hall on the day of your hearing. Office: (614) 252-2799. impactca.org
• Franklin County Prevention, Retention & Contingency (PRC) — county-administered emergency assistance through Jobs & Family Services. Up to $2,000 for overdue rent and utility bills (program rules and dollar amounts can change — confirm current limits)
• Rentful614 — Franklin County's rental assistance hub. Helps tenants and landlords find current programs. rentful614.com
• Columbus Urban League — Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) — rent help plus housing counseling and source-of-income discrimination intakes. cul.org/emergency-rental-assistance-era
• City of Columbus Emergency Rental Assistance — Columbus City Council allocated additional rental assistance funding in 2025. Check columbus.gov for current eligibility
• Salvation Army of Central Ohio — seasonal rent and utility assistance
• Catholic Social Services of Central Ohio — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of Columbus — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences

Federal pandemic-era ERA has ended

The federal pandemic Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) that distributed billions through Ohio counties has closed. Current Columbus paths are IMPACT, PRC, Rentful614, and the Columbus Urban League program above. Don't waste time on old 2021–2023 application portals.

Utility assistance: HEAP and PIPP

Ohio's Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps with winter heating bills (typically through May) and the Summer Crisis Program runs July–September. The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) lets eligible Ohioans pay a percentage of household income toward their utility bill. Apply through IMPACT Community Action or call 211. Lowering your utility bill frees up cash for rent.

Tenant Rights in Columbus & Ohio

Ohio's state framework is generally landlord-friendly, but Columbus has stronger local protections than the rest of Ohio:

• Source-of-income protection in Columbus (Ordinance 0494-2021, July 2021): it is illegal in Columbus for a landlord to refuse to rent, discriminate in rental terms, or discourage a prospective tenant based on source of income — including Section 8 vouchers, child support, and other government assistance. A landlord who violates this commits a first-degree misdemeanor (up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine). Report violations to the Columbus Urban League, the city's fair housing contractor. Note: outside Columbus, Ohio has no statewide source-of-income protection
• 3-day notice to vacate for nonpayment (Ohio Revised Code §1923.04) — among the shortest in the country. Act fast
• 30-day notice for month-to-month termination from either party
• Security deposit return: within 30 days, with an itemized list of any deductions (ORC §5321.16). Ohio does not cap deposit amounts
• Warranty of habitability: ORC §5321.04 requires landlords to comply with building, health, and housing codes; keep common areas safe; provide working plumbing, heat, hot water, and structurally sound housing
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal under ORC §5321.02 if the landlord acts in response to tenant complaints to code enforcement, joining a tenant association, or pursuing legal remedies
• Self-help eviction is illegal: ORC §5321.15 prohibits landlords from locking you out, shutting off utilities, or removing belongings. They must use court eviction (forcible entry and detainer)
• Fair housing: discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, military status, ancestry, or disability is illegal under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4112. Columbus adds source of income, sexual orientation, and gender identity as protected classes locally

For free legal help: Legal Aid Society of Columbus represents low-income tenants facing eviction; Eviction Court Help Center at the Franklin County Municipal Court can answer day-of-hearing questions. For state-level details, see our Ohio housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in Columbus

• Public housing: CMHA owns more than 2,000 public-housing units across Columbus. Application is separate from Section 8 — ask when you call (614) 421-6000
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): privately owned income-restricted apartments. Columbus has a substantial LIHTC inventory growing each year. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Franklin County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Columbus-area veterans are referred through the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the Community Shelter Board (CSB), Franklin County's CoC lead. Access via Coordinated Entry (call 614-274-7000 or 211)
• Ohio Housing Finance Agency programs — down-payment assistance, homebuyer programs, and Ohio Heroes Mortgage for first responders, teachers, and military. ohiohome.org
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Homeport, Columbus Housing Partnership, and IMPACT offer counseling

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

If you are not yet registered with CMHA, register at cmhanet.com. CMHA draws from a lottery pool rather than a date-ordered list, so there is no rush to beat — but your registration expires after two years, so set a reminder to renew it. If you have an eviction hearing scheduled, get to IMPACT Community Action at the courthouse before your hearing.