COLUMBUS, Ohio (Dec. 20, 2024) – Maude Hill, an advocate for affordable housing and community leader who has devoted her life to ensuring civil and human rights for others, was named the 2024 Columbus REALTORS® Rupert “Twink” Starr Citizen of the Year at the Columbus REALTORS® Awards Gala held on Dec. 14 at the Hyatt Regency.
A member of the 2022 class of the City of Columbus Hall of Fame, Hill has been a pillar in the Columbus housing community for over four decades, dedicating her life to social change. Joining Homeport in 1990, Hill has been passionate about making housing more accessible and making homebuying a reality for people of all races. Originally from Alabama, Hill has ingrained herself in Ohio – both in Cleveland and Columbus - and has spent much her life being a resource to the people around her, working with partners to create equal opportunities and improve the lives of others.
Columbus REALTORS® President Elect Buffie Patterson, who met Hill about 20 years ago upon joining the Board at Homeport (then known as the Columbus Housing Partnership), presented the award on stage to Hill at the Awards Gala. Patterson went on to list all the qualities that Hill possesses personally and professionally that make her a deserving recipient and an exemplary citizen.
“Maude deserves to be Citizen of the Year because she is resilient, she is connected, she knows how to get people to come together for a common purpose and get things done,” said Patterson. “She’s not afraid to ask the hard questions, [and] she’s going to do everything with a smile.”
The strides Hill has made across the Central Ohio community ultimately led to CONVERGENCE Columbus and Homeport launching The Maude Hill Growing Homeownership Fund, a $1 million investment that provides financial assistance to help close Columbus’ homeownership gaps earlier this year. (The homeownership rate for White households is 63%, while it is 31% for Black households and 36% for Hispanic households in the Columbus Metropolitan area.)
As of February 1, 2024, the Fund is available for qualifying first-time homebuyers in Franklin County, providing up to $15,000 to help recipients with a down payment, closing costs and other expenses while also offering housing counseling programs to those who meet the eligibility criteria, many of whom are from underserved populations.
Most recently in her role as Associate Vice President for Public and Community Affairs for the Columbus Urban League, Hill has continued to collaborate with community leaders in all sectors to give back to central Ohio and positively impact the lives of others.
