Columbus City Council says it invited Mayor Andrew Ginther's administration to Monday's meeting to explain its plans for a large homeless encampment on the city's Southside, after neighbors and advocates raised alarms about the timeline.
According to a statement posted by Columbus City Council
, the council invited the administration to explain its plans and answer questions following concerns from neighbors and community advocates.
Questions About the City's Plan
The council's request centers on the administration's plans for the encampment.
The council cited concerns from neighbors and community advocates about the administration's plans.
Homelessness in Franklin County
That frustration tracks with what outreach workers are up against. The Community Shelter Board's 2026 Point-in-Time Count identified 2,587 people experiencing homelessness in Columbus and Franklin County, a 1.2% increase over 2025, while the number counted as living outside jumped 43%, from 455 to 651. Sheltered homelessness actually decreased 8%, with 165 fewer people in emergency shelters and transitional housing than the year before — even as Franklin County has only four street outreach workers covering the entire county, per the same report. The board estimates that year-round non-congregate shelter funding at the scale of this past winter's program could permanently house 200 to 300 unsheltered people annually, building on a winter response that already moved 44 chronically homeless residents into permanent housing through its Street-to-Housing model. The Ohio Capital Journal has reported that Franklin County is projected to see a 68% increase in unsheltered homelessness by 2028.
Echoes of Past Camp Clearances
Columbus has been through versions of this fight before. In a prior case covered by The Columbus Dispatch, the city posted notices to evict six homeless camps on city property in one week, affecting at least 40 people.
An April study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, cited by Matter News, concluded that forced relocations can increase life-threatening infections, hospitalizations and deaths.
Where To Find Help Right Now
For anyone seeking a safe overnight option, the Homeless Hotline can be reached at 614-274-7000. The Third Shift Warming Center at 1015 E. Main St. offers 24/7 co-ed, pet-friendly service based on availability and can be reached at 614-506-9873. Star House Youth Center, at 1220 Corrugated Way, runs its overnight drop-in center from 10:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. and can be reached at 614-826-5868.
The Open Shelter, at 1037 Parsons Ave., operates Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and can be reached at 614-222-2885, while Columbus Relief, at 2000 Parsons Ave., operates Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and can be reached at 614-517-2038. Council says more details are expected when the administration presents its plans at Monday's meeting.
