The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved $2.5 million for the Community Shelter Board to preserve homeless shelter beds and services and has committed to doubling a guaranteed funding stream in 2027.
This comes a month and a half after The Dispatch reported on the Community Shelter Board moving in July to make steep cuts to about 43% of Franklin County's year-round adult shelter capacity due to a funding shortfall from the county. Those cuts will largely be averted after the Columbus Foundation donated $2 million to CSB and the Franklin County Commissioners committed to sending $5 million more this year. That brings the county's total 2026 commitment to about $11.2 million, nearly matching the $11.6 million the county provided in 2025
but still less than the $14.5 million CSB requested for this year.
After months without a firm commitment on funding and more than three months into CSB's fiscal year, the three county commissioners unanimously passed the first of two $2.5 million installments on Sept. 8. In the resolution, the commissioners also indicated they intend to set aside an additional 50 cents from real estate conveyance fees already used to support the shelter board, raising the annual amount CSB can count on from the county to roughly $11 million.
County Administrator Kenneth Wilson also said at the meeting that he hopes to bring forward 18-month contract recommendations for the Community Shelter Board in the future to help account for the difference between the county's fiscal year and CSB's fiscal year. The shelter board’s fiscal year begins July 1 to align with federal grant cycles.
By July, the commissioners had not yet committed to a funding level for calendar year 2026, forcing CSB to amend its fiscal year 2027 budget.
County Commissioner John O'Grady said the Community Shelter Board is the commissioners' number one priority.
"This took us a while, took the administration a while," O'Grady said. "They came up with what I think is a brilliant idea and you'll be able to count on this money for some time."
Adam Roan, chief compliance and operations officer for the Community Shelter Board, told the commissioners that this funding will give them the ability to plan ahead.
Community Shelter Board CEO and President Shannon Isom said in a prepared statement that the commissioners' actions provide critical stability for the community's homelessness response system at a time when the need remains significant.
"We are deeply grateful to the Commissioners for recognizing the urgency of this moment and for their continued leadership and partnership," Isom said. "We are also encouraged by the County’s commitment to provide greater funding certainty beginning in 2027. Sustainable solutions to homelessness require sustained partnership."
She said CSB looks forward to continuing its work with the county, city of Columbus, the business and philanthropic communities.
Commissioner Erica Crawley said she believes the county could increase its investment in homeless services because the need is obvious across Columbus and it's only moving farther out into the suburbs.
At the meeting, all three commissioners continued to emphasize they'd like to see the Community Shelter Board raise more money from the private sector, including from members of the Columbus Partnership. The Partnership is a private economic development organization made up of more than 80 CEOs from Columbus' leading businesses.
Commissioner Kevin Boyce said the best partners to the county are those who use county funds as leverage for additional investment.
Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Homeless shelter cuts averted after Franklin County restores some funding
