Ohio was in the second group of states to qualify for help from the federal government's fund to help states hardest hit by mortgage foreclosures.
The Ohio Housing Finance Agency is in charge of creating a plan for using the 172 million dollars allocated to Ohio.
Executive Director Doug Garver's agency was created to help make affordable housing accessible for people with low and moderate-incomes, but these days, its task has become keeping those people in their homes, as joblessness and foreclosures increase.
Garver says he's working with the Governor's office, and the departments of Development, and Jobs and Family Services to come up with a plan for how to use Ohio's share of the money. So far, they've determined that the money can't go `just anywhere'.
DOUG GARVER:
"It is important that there be targeting, so in fact that we hit those areas with greatest need and really have an impact and make a difference."
Many areas want those funds, Northeast Ohio included. Garver says the need must be demonstrable, and the federal government will not be involved in choosing.
DOUG GARVER:
"It's up to us to decide what are the factors that we as a state want to consider in defining 'economic distress', in terms of identifying factors that ought to be considered in helping us to define that."
If high unemployment is the primary factor, Northeast Ohio may lose out to some other areas of the state where the jobless rate is much higher. That would upset some local groups in and around Cleveland who provide counselling services to homeowners at risk of foreclosure, and are out of funds.
Garver says Ohio must also determine whether short or long term assistance is better, and that while the state has tried multiple approaches to stemming the foreclosure crisis, this money needs to go specifically toward what's proven successful.
The state has to deliver the plans for effectively spending the cash, by the end of next month.
Rick Jackson, 90.3.
