In 2020, GOPC had the opportunity to help The 614 for Linden evaluate its impacts in the Linden during the Collaborative’s first year and just released its first annual report for 2019–2020. In 2019, The 614 for Linden received a $5 million grant as a national winner of JPMorgan Chase’s Partnerships for Raising Opportunity in Neighborhoods (PRO Neighborhoods) competition. Columbus was one of only seven winning submissions in this round, out of 75 applications covering 49 cities. The 614 for Linden began as a collaborative of four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and six nonprofits seeking to implement four of the ten big ideas identified in the City of Columbus’ One Linden Plan (2018). It has since grown to include additional community partners and organizations, including (*=CDFI):

1. Ohio Capital Finance Corporation (OCFC)*

2. Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County (AHT)*

3. Finance Fund Capital Corporation*

4. Economic Community Development Institute (ECDI)*

5. Nationwide Children’s Hospital

6. Healthy Homes

7. Community Shelter Board

8. Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio

9. Community Development for All People (CD4AP)

10. St. Stephen’s Community House

11. New Salem Baptist Church’s Community of Caring Development Foundation

The $5 million PRO Neighborhoods grant will be deployed in the One Linden Plan’s geographic area and strategically outside of this boundary still within Linden. The 614 for Linden explicitly seeks to address the following four of the plan’s big ideas: 1) Stabilize & Expand Housing Options, 2) Develop Business & Support Entrepreneurs, 3) Build Community Investment, and 4) Support Resident Health.

To stabilize and expand housing options in the Collaborative’s first year, OCFC and AHT established a nearly $20 million fund pool for affordable housing. They also utilized it to preserve Rosewind Estates (230 affordable housing units), and Community Shelter Board stabilized 88 individuals at-risk of homelessness through rental and security deposit assistance and counseling. To develop business and support entrepreneurs, ECDI assisted 73 potential small business clients and closed on six small business loans.

To build community investment, Finance Fund conducted a grocery store feasibility study and started conversations to identify potential operators for the grocery in Linden. Healthy Homes offered grants for residents’ exterior home renovations in targeted areas. To support resident health, Nationwide Children’s Hospital provided wraparound health services, and CD4AP supported the redevelopment of Eagle Market into a fresh food market and charitable pharmacy. Additionally, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Collaborative reallocated $50,000 in JPMorgan Chase grant funds to help St. Stephen’s and the Community of Caring Development Foundation address food and housing insecurity. The money helped purchase fresh food and refrigeration equipment for their food pantries, and St. Stephen’s was able to provide emergency rent and utility assistance.

The 614 for Linden also facilitated various community engagement activities in its first year: the JPMorgan Chase Award Announcement event at St. Stephen’s that had over 100 attendees; 3 open houses in North & South Linden that engaged 155 Linden residents; 8 monthly community engagement, zoom meetings with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee; and GOPC conducted 12 one-on-one stakeholder interviews.

To stay up-to-date on The 614 for Linden, visit: www.the614forlinden.org