West End Residents Push Back Against Sale of City West Units

For Sale sign with Red Text — Source: timnewman / Getty

Dozens of residents from Cincinnati’s West End showed up at City Hall this week voicing their concerns over plans to sell part of the City West housing development.

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The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) is proposing to sell 105 units as part of a larger $200 million renovation plan. Officials say the move would help pay off debt tied to the property and allow for reinvestment into the remaining units.

But for residents, the uncertainty around what comes next is the biggest issue…

Patricia Charlton, 76, said the thought of being forced to relocate is overwhelming. She spoke with WCPO 9 last week:

“It’s not easy to have to move,” she said. “I would like the rest of my life to stay in the senior building.”

Other residents mentioned similar concerns, saying they feel left in the dark about timelines and what relocation could look like:

“You don’t know if you’ll have 30 days or 90 days before you have to move,” said Judith Jones, who has lived at the complex for four years.

CMHA CEO Gregory Johnson said the agency took over City West after previous owners defaulted on a $4 million loan. He said selling a portion of the property is part of a plan to stabilize and improve the development, not dismantle it.

“I know people went down to City Hall, and they talked about ‘Save City West,’ but that’s exactly what we’re doing through this process. We’re saving City West,” Johnson said.

Johnson added that no purchase agreement has been finalized and said residents would not be displaced from the community. Instead, he said they would be relocated within the complex if needed, with assistance provided.

CMHA also said housing vouchers and relocation support would be available for those impacted.

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Still, residents remain concerned about affordability and long-term stability.

Community advocates say they hope the conversation leads to stronger protections for residents who have lived in the area for decades.

CMHA officials say they plan to continue meeting with residents as the process moves forward, with a goal of reaching a purchase agreement by July 1st.