Cincinnati introduces a tenants’ guide

A brownstone building with the words City Hall
Cincinnati City Councilmembers are making it a priority to help tenants.

Written and edited by

Ann Thompson

The City of Cincinnati is taking additional steps to assist renters and prevent evictions.

At a news conference Thursday, Councilmember Meeka Owens and others introduced a Tenants’ Guide  with detailed information on rent and utility assistance, legal resources, rent escrow and more.

It directs renters to United Way’s 211 Helpline if they need money to pay bills, Hamilton County’s Help Center for legal advice, the City of Cincinnati for the repairs landlords are required to make, and information on rent escrow and security deposits, as well as moving.

It is available online, at the Help Center, through Cincinnati Public Schools and Hamilton County’s 513 Relief Bus.

Owens said at a news conference, the city may require landlords to give the Tenants’ Guide to new renters.

Another one of Owens’ ideas, same-day legal representation, began in September, 2024. “Since then,” WVXU reports, “attorney Shannon Price has appeared in court 379 times to represent clients and about 83-percent of cases that have been litigated to final judgement were dismissed.”

Cincinnati does not have right to counsel but is investigating the idea. Dayton is piloting it, as Brick by Brick reported in May, 2024.

Cincinnati Council is also working on Pay to Stay. (But Pay to Stay – if tenants have the money they can avoid an unnecessary eviction by paying all outstanding amounts to the landlord, including rents, fees and court costs – is held up in court) Dayton already has “Pay to Stay.” Also, part of a Cincinnati Tenants Bill of Rights, Owens would like to institute Source of Income protection, (again, something Dayton already has) banning landlords from not accepting government vouchers. 

A white woman in her 50's with shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes wearing a maroon leather jacket stands on a neighborhood street.

Ann Thompson – Host, Producer

Over the last thirty years in Cincinnati, Ann Thompson has brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting. She has reported and anchored for WVXU, WKRC, WCKY, WHIO-TV and Metro Networks and freelanced for NPR, CBS and ABC Radio. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Press and she has won awards from the Association of Women in Communications and the Alliance for Women in Media. She is a former News Director and Operations Manager. Ann has reported from India, Japan, South Korea, Germany and Belgium as part of fellowships. Ann thinks of the Brick by Brick project as “journalism for good.” She serves as host and producer. Ann lives in Anderson Township with her husband Scott. They have two boys. Jake graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2022 and Kurt attends West Point.