Families move into latest Nationwide Children's affordable housing

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. It also continues to face an affordable housing crisis. As the city's population rapidly rises, the need for affordable housing might be greater than ever before.  

A new project backed by Nationwide Children's Hospital is tackling that issue. Four brand new duplexes now sit on Reeb Avenue. They were unveiled last Monday, and all of the units have already been leased. 

According to Nick Jones, vice president of community wellness at Nationwide Children’s, years ago, the hospital planned to turn the former South Side Learning and Development Center into affordable homes as part of the hospital's Healthy Homes initiative. 

"This just allows more families to be able to make the choice on where they want to live and not have that choice be made for them," Jones said.  

Watch: Families receive housing through children's hospital

The $2.35 million project was made possible through City of Columbus grant funding, the South Side Renaissance Fund, and private funding.  

According to Healthy Homes, the new rental units average approximately $920 per month compared to the average rental for similar properties around $1,400 per month. 

Delexis Turner is a single mother. She got the keys to her apartment a few days ago. 

"I love it here," Turner said. "Since I walked through the doors, I fell in love with the place." 

Turner and her four children were living in Old Towne East for the last eight years. She said she was working two jobs to be able to afford rent. 

"I was spending way over a grand for a three-bedroom townhouse with no basement," Turner said. "And it seemed like the more the years went on, it was going up and up and up." 

The new units have three bedrooms, 1 ½ baths, and basements. Turner said it's a new start for her. 

"It seemed like I had to work more hours, more time and basically dedicate my life to work," Turner said. 

The units are intended for families supported by the Reeb Center across the street. The center serves as a community space that's home to several nonprofit partners.  

Jones said healthy lives begin at home and in neighborhoods. He said 80% of families health outcomes are determined by things that happen outside of the hospital walls.  

"One of those major impacts is access to quality, safe, decent, affordable housing and bringing on units like this that, you know, adds actually more units to the south side," Jones said. 

Jones said the new units make the south side a healthier environment for families and kids.  

"There is help in this world," Turner said. "You've just got to go out there and look." 

Jones said Nationwide Children's has the largest children's hospital-backed housing initiative in the country. It has impacted more than 900 homes since 2008, with more than 600 of those being on the south side alone. 

"It just continues to add more equitable and diverse housing options in a market like the south side that has been going through a lot of great change over the last 15 years plus," Jones said. 

"I'm happy. My children are happy," Turner said. "This is a big step."