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Residents press council on housing problems, water-billing and park safety during citizens forum
Summary
Speakers at the Cincinnati City Council citizens forum detailed unauthorized apartment entries and alleged tenant-fraud at CMHA/Touchstone, reported improper water-billing on foreclosed properties, and urged city action to fence park ponds to prevent drownings.
Vice Mayor Kearney opened the citizens forum and invited two-minute public comments before a series of residents described housing and public-safety problems they said need council follow-up.
Antoine M. Evans, a resident of the Evanston 1820 Rutland property, said he has filed police reports dating to September 2024 and accused building management of repeated unauthorized entries, theft and of deleting a video he showed a new building manager. Evans said he submitted a 30-day notice to move on April 16 but that the move paperwork had not been processed; he told the council he had "over $3,000 of my stuff stolen" since moving in June 2024. Vice Mayor Kearney directed Evans to speak with staff member Alex Stanton for assistance.
Marvin Barnes alleged a broader scheme involving CMHA (Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority) and Touchstone that, he said, included manipulated tenant records, misdirected payments and improper hires. Barnes named Deion Crockett and asked whether Dominic Gaurasi II at the U.S. Attorney's Office was aware of alleged crimes; he said charities and banks were affected and asserted CMHA knew of problems in December 2024 and early 2025. Kearney said the mayor's office has been addressing some of the concerns and pledged to follow up with Barnes.
Other commenters raised separate but related concerns about housing enforcement and neighborhood displacement. Bobby Royal said she purchased her home on a land contract and was told she needed a vacant building maintenance license (which requires a property to be empty); she said fines totaling several thousand dollars were being applied and asked for staff assistance. Council staff were identified at the meeting as points of contact for follow-up.
Speakers also raised non-housing issues that they asked council to address. Dr. Eric Isaacs urged the city to assess open bodies of water in parks and develop fencing or barrier standards prioritizing sites near schools and senior centers; he framed the measure as a low-cost, preventative safety improvement. Mike Eulhorn (joining by Zoom) said Greater Cincinnati Water Works billed a monthly base rate while water service was shut off at a foreclosed property; he said he was billed from the day he bought the property without disclosure and asked who could remedy the charge.
Vice Mayor Kearney closed the forum and moved the meeting into the business portion, noting staff follow-up would be arranged for speakers who requested help.
