In the Business of Hope
*Due to the nature of those served by Harriet’s Hope, names and photos of community members are not included in the following story.
Harriet’s Hope, a 52-unit supportive housing community located in Columbus, Ohio, is addressing affordable housing for a specific population – those who have experienced human trafficking. In fact, it is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation.
The project opened at the end of 2023 with support from neighborhood housing associations and the Ohio legislature. FHLB Cincinnati supported the project through a $1 million Affordable Housing Program grant awarded to members Park National Bank and The Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus & Franklin County for the benefit of the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and Beacon 360 Management.
Fostering a strong sense of community is a central tenet of the project. Both individual and family housing units are available, with the latter helping to reunify families who were previously separated due to challenging circumstances. Community members actively support one another, often sharing responsibilities such as carpooling and childcare.
“We are all family, putting down roots. When life has given you so many lemons, this place will give you lemonade,” said one community member.
Security is a priority and many procedures are in place to make sure community members remain safe. In addition to a secure environment, community members are provided access to a variety of onsite supportive services in partnership with local providers and peer support groups. These services range from substance abuse disorder treatments to case management, health screenings, legal aid, employment readiness programs and more. Park National, a long-time user of FHLB Cincinnati’s housing programs, is one provider of the supportive services.
“Park National provides the financial literacy component for this project,” said Scott Green, VP, Commercial Lending. “There is a curriculum that was established where folks can learn foundations of budgeting, signs of predatory lending and more.”
Celia Kendall, CEO, Beacon 360 Management, outlined key metrics the project is tracking to measure impact, including:
- Reductions in interactions with law enforcement
- Duration of participants’ sustained sobriety
- Ability to obtain and maintain employment
- Rates of successful family reunification
“The whole goal of this is to make it a duplicatable model,” said Kendall. “We've been contacted by housing authorities outside of the state of Ohio about duplicating this project as well as advancing conversations about how we can build robust supportive housing in other communities.”
A number of Harriet’s Hope community members have been able to secure employment and establish streams of income. One individual published a wellness workbook that includes creative activities, affirmation pages and guided journaling. They are looking to publish a second workbook in collaboration with another person living at Harriet’s Hope.
“I help provide income for my family. My oldest son is thinking about his future, college. His future is no longer focused only on his family’s survival,” said the individual.
Since the Affordable Housing Program’s inception in 1990, FHLB Cincinnati has disbursed significant funds to support affordable housing projects such as Harriet’s Hope. In 2025, 56 grants totaling nearly $51.9 million were awarded to 30 member financial institutions. Grant funds will be used to help create 2,990 units of affordable housing benefiting residents throughout Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.