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Residents urge council action on evictions, property seizures and water-billing practices
Summary
Several public commenters told council about housing insecurity, alleged unfair property seizures, and billing practices by Greater Cincinnati Water Works; commenters asked for more city intervention and follow-up from staff.
Multiple public commenters at Cincinnati City Council’s Feb. 11 meeting urged officials to address housing insecurity, alleged discriminatory property seizures and utility billing practices.
Carol Cunningham described a case involving an elderly, double-amputee tenant whose rent rose about $1,000 above her SSI disability payment and said she had secured an attorney and worked with Vice Mayor Jan Michelle Kearney. Another commenter alleged that city building and law-department actions have led to property losses in Black and brown neighborhoods and accused officials of uneven enforcement and displacement practices.
Stefan Pryor raised a separate example in which a receiver sought to sell the property of Sandra Allen for $84,500 while listing claimed expenses of $153,979.86; he said nonprofit neighborhood organizations should be helping homeowners to keep their property rather than funding local businesses. A remote participant said Greater Cincinnati Water Works charges a monthly base rate even when a meter is shut off and cited an Ohio statute he described as making that practice theft; he said repeated outreach to council offices produced no substantive response.
Speakers asked staff and elected officials to follow up; the mayor closed the public-comment period and the council proceeded to the business agenda. The meeting record shows council did not take immediate formal action on these complaints during the session.
