Senator Reynolds Hosts Housing Policy Think Tank

May 5, 2026

COLUMBUS—State Senator Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) convened a Housing Policy Think Tank at the Ohio Statehouse, bringing together state, local, and federal leaders alongside housing experts to address Ohio's growing housing crisis.

“Across Ohio we are facing a structural housing supply gap that is impacting workforce mobility, economic development, and community stability.” said Senator Reynolds. “The goal of this think tank is simple: identify the policy barriers that are slowing housing production, address what has been effective in Ohio, and get to work shaping new legislative solutions."

The Ohio Housing Policy Lab connected numerous experts, many of whom primed effective policy drafting through two engaging panels. Invited speakers at the think tank included Ethan Hollenberger, Senior Advisor with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department; Jeff Beam, Executive Vice President of Development at OCCH; and Curtiss Williams, President and CEO of the Franklin County Land Bank (COCIC).

The first panel of the day focused on regulatory reform and featured:

Director Bill Beagle of the Ohio Housing Finance Agency
Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin
Ian Labitue, President and CEO of the Affordable Housing Trust
Hope Paxton, Founder and President of HK Consulting
Brad DeHays, Founder and CEO of Connect Housing Blocks

The second panel focusing on a human-level approach to housing through budget policy included the following speakers:

Mayor Michelle Blanton, City of Circleville
Carlie Boos, Executive Director for he Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio
Amy Riegel, Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO)
Leah Evans, President and CEO of Homeport

Each panel was followed by a collaborative policy drafting session where teams built and pitched model legislation which will inform and inspire future legislation.

The event marked a continued effort by Senator Reynolds to convene stakeholders and develop forward-looking housing policy solutions with the very people who will be implementing them.

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