Hey gang, welcome back to Good Works Columbus and thanks for coming to the newsletter.

Things you can do in person

• Transit Columbus Meeting
  Tuesday, January 13th 7pm
  Columbus Main Library, Meeting Room 1A
  

  

  Join Transit Columbus for our first meeting of the year. We’ll go over wins from 2025, look at the year ahead, and hear from our newly formed working groups. All are welcome!
  

• Linden Green Line Public Meetings
  January 13th and January 14th
  More info: https://columbusrecparks.com/connect/about/capital-improvement-projects/linden-green-line/

  

• Point-In Time Volunteers Needed
  Registration Open until January 12th
  More info and registration here: https://www.csb.org/how-we-do-it/point-in-time-count/
  
  The 2026 Point-In-Time Count of people experiencing homelessness in Franklin County and the Central Ohio region will take place on

  Thursday, January 22, 2026

  Community Shelter Board will lead Franklin County and the Central Ohio region’s annual count of the area’s sheltered and unsheltered homeless populations, including adults, youth, and children.

  Point-In-Time Counts are an important method used to better understand the extent and nature of homelessness in communities across the nation. The count helps us address housing needs in our community and helps track progress toward the goal of ending homelessness.

  Volunteer opportunities include:

  • Conducting surveys on the ground and in encampments for unsheltered people experiencing homelessness

  • Conducting surveys at a magnet site in tandem with a mobile outreach unit and food truck

  • Conducting surveys at meal sites and warming centers

• Columbus City Council: Housing, Homelessness & Building Hearing
  Wednesday, Jan. 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  Columbus City Hall
  Council Chambers (second floor), 90 W. Broad St.
  
  Columbus City Council will host a series of public hearings to review and provide feedback on the City’s $1.26 billion 2026 Operating Budget, which was proposed in November 2025 by Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. At these hearings, directors and representatives from City departments will present their budget needs to committee chairs. Following the hearings, Council may amend the operating budget before voting on a final plan. Additional budget hearings will be announced soon.

• COTA Service Change Meetings
  Service Changes Effective May 4, 2026
  In-person (33 N High St. - COTA building)
  

  

  
  Join on Facebook Live
  Visit the @COTAbus Facebook page at the time of the meeting and open the Live popup when it becomes available.
  https://www.facebook.com/cotabus/

  • Comment Meeting 1: Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

  • Comment Meeting 2: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at noon

• Life After Cars (a War on Cars event)
  

  

  Doug Gordan and Sarah Goodyear, hosts of the War on Cars podcast, have published a book called Life After Cars. On Tuesday, January 27, CURA and Transit Columbus are hosting a discussion with Doug and Sarah at the Wexner Center for the Arts.
  
  Tickets: https://my.wexarts.org/6613/6614

• Community Shelter Board Annual Meeting
  Friday, January 30, 9am
  National Veterans Memorial and Museum
  300 W. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio 43215
  

  

  
  We look forward to gathering with our partners and community leaders to reflect on our progress and discuss our shared vision for ensuring everyone in Franklin County and the Central Ohio region has a safe and stable home.

Things you can do online

• Tell USA TODAY Co. to Recognize the Dispatch News Guild!
  The Columbus Dispatch is unionizing! Sign the petition today!

  Sign the Dispatch Union Petition

• Support Columbus Metropolitan Library Workers
  Columbus Metropolitan Library workers are forming their union! Add your name to pledge your support for CML workers!

  Sign the CML Union Pledge

• Dublin Deer Survey
  The city of Dublin is conducting a survey to gather community input on deer-related experiences, safety concerns, and opinions on potential management approaches.

Things I’m reading/watching:

• How to Protest Safely in the Age of Surveillance from WIRED

• Dublin Scioto High School students conduct walkout in response to ICE from Matter News

• Zoning Reform Process Moves Forward With New Land Use Plan from Columbus Underground

• COTA's Trustees took a whopping four (4) bus rides in 2025 from The Rooster
  

Have a great day everyone!

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