Oxford receives $137k grant for housing stability initiative
A new grant will go toward supporting a staff position at TOPSS and more outreach initiatives to educate and protect tenants in Oxford.
The City of Oxford has received a $136,800 grant from Interact for Health to support an eviction diversion and housing stability program.
Oxford was one of six recipients for Interact for Health’s Local Health Policy grants this year. The southwest Ohio-based group aims to create opportunities for people in the area to live healthier lives by funding initiatives.
The project in Oxford will focus on making sure tenants understand their rights and preventing evictions within the Talawanda School District. The city applied in coordination with the Talawanda Oxford Pantry and Social Services (TOPSS), which will create a housing stability staff role and partner with a law firm to provide housing legal assistance with the funding. Oxford also plans to update its housing policy to protect tenants and partner with HOME Cincy to provide a housing education program twice a year.
City staff noted that Oxford plans to contribute $30,000 of its own money toward the program in the grant application, which initially requested $90,000 in funding for one year. The grant awarded will cover an 18-month period, a representative for Interact for Health confirmed.
During fall 2024 and spring of this year, Oxford’s Student-Community Relations Committee set tenant support as a top focus. Affordable housing for all income levels has long been a City Council priority and is laid out in Oxford’s 2023 comprehensive plan.
