Building Industry Association of Central Ohio Housing Need Assessment

In 2017, the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, in an effort to gain a better understanding of the central Ohio housing market, undertook a study of the housing needs of the region through the year 2050.

This study, which was based largely on projected job growth in the central Ohio region, estimated an annual need of approximately 14,000 housing units annually through the year 2050 to meet the demands of our growing area. Unfortunately, in the intervening years, the region has continued to fall short of that production target. 

In 2022, on the heels of continued growth and news of the arrival of Intel and other significant expansions and relocations in the Columbus region, the BIA Foundation commissioned Vogt Strategic Insights to update this study with an eye toward the next decade of housing in our communities. This new Housing Needs Assessment quantifies the significance of the housing shortfall by estimating the need for new residential housing based on projected job growth through 2032.  

This study confirms and expands on the 2017 study, demonstrating a need to nearly double the housing production of the previous decade to meet projected housing demands. Failure to do so will exasperate housing affordability and availability and places our economic growth at risk.

Our housing gap is not unique to any particular county or municipality. The report concludes that, while underbuilding is undoubtedly more acute in some places, the increases in home prices and rental rates have continued to far outpace income growth within all geographic areas of study.

In the links below you will found a detailed Housing Needs Assessment and a breakdown of projected demand in ten central Ohio counties. 

The report is intended to arm decision-makers with information critical to understanding the challenges our region faces while spurring discussions around potential solutions to the underlying issues around zoning, land use, regulatory guidelines, infrastructure investment, construction costs and the availability of skilled workers.

We trust you’ll find this special report to be insightful and actionable. We welcome your input and invite questions, comments and discussions.