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Tenants press Cincinnati officials over alleged rent thefts and unsafe conditions at Evanston properties
Summary
Dozens of Evanston Apartments residents and other tenants told the council they received eviction notices tied to disputed ledgers and alleged diverted rent payments, and described mold, rats and repeated maintenance failures. Residents called for a city investigation and for CMHA and property managers to be held accountable.
Dozens of tenants and community advocates used the city's public-comment period to urge immediate action after what they described as a pattern of improper evictions, inaccurate rent ledgers and unsafe housing conditions at multiple properties, including the Evanston Apartments.
Angela Fox said a municipal inspector cleared her unit even though a private mold inspector could see mold and asbestos in her basement. "If properties are being cleared for occupancy despite ongoing sanitation, moisture, or structural hazards, then the system is failing the people it's meant to protect," Fox told the council. Bishop Sonny James, who identified himself as a community advocate, urged officials to "come to the table" for residents and warned he would not stop pressing for justice.
Multiple speakers alleged payments and money orders were misdirected or recorded incorrectly and said eviction notices followed. "They put an eviction notice on my door for $1," a resident told the council, saying the notices were part of a wider pattern affecting more than 50 households. Several speakers named Deion/Dion Crockett as a former manager tied to disputed payment records and urged that criminal conduct be addressed and that affected tenants not be held liable for others' alleged wrongdoing.
City leaders responded during the meeting that an active criminal investigation exists. Council President Johnson (addressing public comments) said elected officials and the administration were "well aware of the criminal acts of Dion" and that the city would advocate for residents and confirm the accuracy of the records. Vice Mayor Kearney urged residents to make sure the city solicitor's office had contact information so staff could follow up with individuals.
Speakers repeatedly raised housing-quality concerns beyond payment disputes: mold and asbestos, slow or absent maintenance responses, rodents and seven manager turnovers at some buildings over nine years. Several said managers failed to return calls and that re-certification paperwork tied to rent increases was missing.
The public comments produced no formal council action during the meeting beyond officials' promises to follow up: members said the law department and administration would investigate records and that the city solicitor's office was tracking the criminal inquiry. Tenants asked for a dedicated liaison to help affected residents navigate the process and said they wanted immediate relief from eviction notices and correction of inaccurate ledgers.
What happens next: Council members and city staff told speakers they would verify records, confirm the status of police investigations, and connect residents to the city solicitor or the help center. Tenants said they will continue to press the city for specific outcomes, including review of ledger records, correction of evictions, and remedies for documented health hazards.
