Residents of City West apartments worry about sale of the complex

 Notes

Meeting Agenda: https://cincinnatioh.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=A&ID=1397475&GUID=3F628462-B8AA-4F1A-8113-414EA1037B30

Council members: 

Vice Mayor Jan-Michelle Lemon Kearney

President Pro Tem Scotty Johnson

Anna Albi

Jeff Cramerding

Ryan James

Mark Jeffreys 

Evan Nolan

Meeka Owens

Seth Walsh

Residents protest the sale of City West 

The public comment portion of the meeting was filled with dozens of community members outraged by the proposed sale of City West apartments in the West End and the possibility of being displaced. 

Community member Brian Garry started a chant amongst the residents: “Forgive the Debt. Save City West,” while many others held protesting signs and wore “Save City West” and “Stop the Sale” T-shirts. 

Judith Jones of Neighborhoods United and a resident of City West said, “it’s too late in the game for senior citizens to have to move due to  somebody else’s mistakes.”

Another community member expressed that City West residents “feel they’ll be tossed out of their homes for profit.”

In response to the public comments made at the meeting, City Manager Sheryl Long said: “Anyone who wants to remain at City West will remain at City West” and  she is not entertaining anyone wishing to displace current residents.

Council recognizes the late Helen Rankin

Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, on behalf of the mayor and City Council, recognized the late Helen Rankin, the first Black woman elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, for a lifetime of achievements and dedication to Ohio and the city of Cincinnati. Kearney expressed her gratitude to the family of  Rep. Rankin, saying it was “a great experience growing up and trying to live up to the standards she set for us.”

Several community members, including Leslie Hall of New Vision United Methodist Church, also took time during the public comment portion of the meeting to honor Rankin. 

City of Cincinnati accepts $2.185 million donation from Tri-State Trails 

Council Member Mark Jeffreys gave a brief explanation of the donation referenced in Item 25 on the meeting agenda. According to Jeffreys, the grant will help fund some of the trail network running through the city.

Jeffreys said there were agenda items that would use funds from the donation to match those federal grants.

Emergency Ordinance for city to apply for $40 million in funding awarded by  U.S. Department of Transportation 

Jeffreys, the OKI Regional Council of Governments representative for the council, said $25 million will be for the Western Hills Viaduct replacement project (Item 29) and the remaining $15 million will be for the Oasis Trail (Items 30, 31) which will link downtown to the Lunken Airport as a part of the Crown Network. 

Jeffreys added: “As we well know, this is a really critical project for our community to replace the current Western Hills Viaduct.”

Emergency ordinance establishing new capital improvement program account for Ridge Avenue and Hopple Street

Council Member Jeff Cramerding wanted community members to understand the “magnitude” of the help that this funding from SORTA will provide, sharing that $4.6 million will go towards pavement rehabilitation of Ridge Avenue) and $1 million will go towards the Hopple Street Viaduct project. 

Jeffreys also said the funding for the Ridge Avenue project will help repave it from Marburg to the end of the city, adding that it’s “kind of bumpy” and “definitely a need.” According to Jeffreys, Montana Avenue on the West Side of Cincinnati is also being repaved.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcincinnati.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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