Community Shelter Board

The Community Shelter Board administers more than $12 million in funding for homelessness prevention initiatives, emergency shelters, housing services, and supportive housing — showcasing an innovative, collaborative model for abolishing homelessness. The Community Shelter Board works collaboratively with 13 partner agencies to unify resources and knowledge, helping over 7,500 people each year.

The Community Shelter Board was created in 1986 to respond to the growing problem of homelessness in Franklin County. CSB founders include: the City of Columbus, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, The Columbus Foundation, the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce and many other organizations concerned about the quality of life in Franklin County.

Unified Supportive Housing System

Thanks to a generous grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation to the Community Shelter Board The Unified Supportive Housing System (USHS) pilot project began in 2008. This collaborative project included support from the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and ADAMH along with many others.

The USHS project is aimed at reducing homelessness in Franklin County by developing a centralized eligibility determination and placement system to facilitate movement from emergency systems to permanent housing. 

The goals of the new system include strengthening and simplifying the current permanent supportive housing system, increasing the number of clients served, and bringing more resources into the community. Other goals include greater client and provider access to supportive housing units, matching clients with the right services and the right housing for their needs, and encouraging clients to reach the greatest level of independence that they are capable of achieving.

The development of the Unified Supportive Housing System includes two pilot housing projects: Community Housing Network’s Southpoint Place, which opened in the fall of 2008, and National Church Residences’ Commons at Buckingham, which will open in the fall of 2009. The third part of the pilot process is the move-up component, which will assist qualified clients by providing subsidies, financial supports and other assistance for transition from supportive housing to other permanent housing.