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Victory Vista residents say rent hikes have left seniors facing eviction; mayor pledges legal review
Summary
Multiple Victory Vista tenants told Cincinnati City Council their rents were raised to market rates after promised income-based terms, leaving seniors on fixed incomes at risk; the mayor and council pledged legal review and meetings with tenants and Legal Aid.
Residents of the Victory Vista senior housing complex urged Cincinnati leaders at public comment to intervene after management and Kingsley Company raised rents, in some cases more than doubling monthly payments.
"I never expected my rent to go from $595 a month to $1,379," said Viola Brown (S9), who said she was told to pay the new amount within two months or be evicted. Other tenants described similar jumps, overcrowding, and safety concerns and said they had moved in under promises that rent would be set as a percentage of income.
Phil Rich (S5), an attorney with the Legal Aid Society representing 11 tenants, told the council he believes the developer's actions are illegal. "Victory Vista's actions are illegal," he said, arguing that the developer changed unit designations in a LIHTEC-subsidized building and effectively converted income-restricted units to market-rate rentals. Rich said the project received city funding and tax abatement and that a covenant may be enforceable by the city.
Rico Blackman (S4) of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition said roughly 11 to 12 residents at Victory Vista were at imminent risk of losing their homes and asked the city to hold the developer accountable. "We cannot allow that to happen," he said.
After more than a dozen tenants and advocates spoke, Mayor (S1) called the situation "wrong" and "potentially predatory." He said the city attorney's office is reviewing options and committed to convening a meeting between tenant representatives, Legal Aid and city staff to "talk through what the current strategies are and what the options are." The mayor also said the city will do everything in its power to keep residents housed during the holiday season.
Councilmembers echoed the mayor's comments. Councilmember Jeffries (S31) asked that the developer agree not to pursue evictions while the legal review proceeds and urged the city to demand a pause in legal action until the matter is resolved. Several members suggested the city consider enforcing covenants or clawing back tax abatements if the developer violated obligations tied to public funding.
Legal Aid and United Way were cited as providing short-term assistance, and residents described receiving help from on-site social-service staff. Tenants and advocates urged policy changes to close what they described as a loophole allowing conversions of income-restricted units.
The mayor's office said it will reach out to the tenants' representatives and to Nick Donardo to arrange follow-up meetings. The council did not take a formal vote during public comment; the city solicitor and the law department were described as engaged in a legal review of enforcement options.
