Retzke for Representative Campaign Raises Alarm on Rising Housing Costs Across Ohio

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Ohio House candidate, Easton Retzke, is sounding the alarm on Ohio’s growing housing affordability crisis, saying working families across District 89 and throughout Northern Ohio are being pushed closer and closer to the edge as rent continues to rise while wages fail to keep pace.

Recent data from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency shows that in just the last three years, the median rent for a basic two-bedroom apartment in Ohio has climbed toward $1,200. For many Ohioans, that is not just another statistic. It is a monthly reality that is reshaping household budgets, delaying major life decisions, and forcing families to make impossible choices.

Retzke said what was once considered a challenge in larger metropolitan areas has now become a serious issue in communities of every size, including those across Erie County and the surrounding region.

“People in our communities are working just as hard as they always have, in some cases harder than ever, and yet every month it feels like they are falling further behind,” Retzke said. “When rent goes up, groceries go up, gas goes up, and healthcare costs keep rising, families are left asking what they are supposed to cut next. For too many people, there is nothing left to cut.”

Retzke pointed to conversations he has had with workers, young families, retirees, and recent graduates throughout the district who say finding stable, affordable housing is becoming one of their biggest financial burdens.

“I have talked to parents who are worried about whether they will be able to stay in the same school district their kids have grown up in. I have talked to young people who want to stay in the communities that raised them but cannot afford to move out on their own. I have talked to seniors who spent their whole lives working and now are watching fixed incomes stretch less and less every year,” Retzke said. “This is not a talking point. This is what people are living with every day.”

Retzke said Ohio’s housing crisis is tied directly to broader economic challenges facing working people. While corporate profits and investor-owned properties continue to grow, many families are seeing more of their income consumed by housing costs, leaving less for savings, emergencies, education, childcare, or retirement.

“When one unexpected medical bill, a car repair, or even a utility spike can push a family into crisis, that tells us something is deeply wrong,” Retzke said. “Housing should be a foundation for stability, not a source of constant stress.”

As part of his campaign for Ohio’s 89th House District, Retzke has made affordability, economic development, and stronger local communities central priorities. He said state leaders can no longer ignore the warning signs or pretend this crisis will solve itself.

“People deserve to be able to afford to live where they work, raise their families, and build their futures,” Retzke said. “Ohio should be a place where hard work leads to stability and opportunity, not a place where working families are forced to choose between paying rent and getting ahead. We need leaders who are ready to fight for housing that is actually within reach for the people who call this state home.”

For campaign updates or to support the campaign, visit retzkeforrepresentative.com.

Media Contact
Committee to Elect Easton Retzke
easton@retzkeforrepresentative.com
419-357-3646