CMHA to Sell Some City West Units Amid $200M Rehab Plan
Cincinnati’s largest public housing community is headed for a major overhaul. The Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) will sell 105 apartments at City West as part of a $200 million renovation effort, but officials insist residents in the West End will not be pushed out.
The sale represents roughly 10% of the 686-unit development and follows years of delayed maintenance and financial strain. CMHA took control of the buildings last year after the previous owner defaulted on a $4 million loan. The property is now appraised at $12 million, and proceeds from the sale will go toward paying off that debt and reinvesting into the properties.
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A New Chapter
Built in 2000 using $60 million in federal HOPE VI funds, City West replaced the historic Laurel Homes and much of Lincoln Court which was once some of the country’s earliest public housing complexes.
Two decades later, the development faces its next major transformation with CMHA promising that the people who live there today will still have a place when the dust settles.
Residents Will Be Allowed to Stay
Of the 105 units being sold, 93 remain occupied. CMHA CEO Gregory Johnson said the agency’s first priority is ensuring residents can remain in the neighborhood.
“The one thing we don’t want is everyone in City West to be fearful that, ‘Oh, they’re moving us out,’” Johnson said. “That’s not the case at all. This is your local municipality doing their best work together to save precious property in our community for the poorest of the poor.”
CMHA says City West has 85 vacant units (renovated and/or ready to be filled) that can absorb most households affected by the sale. If additional moves are needed, the agency says it will help residents relocate elsewhere in the West End.
Residents will also have the chance to stay in the privately purchased buildings, depending on the future buyer. “It’s possible whoever buys the properties might allow residents to stay,” Johnson added.
Neighborhood Concerns
City West apartments sits near the newer FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium, and developments in the area has long put West End families on edge. Assistant City Manager Billy Weber stressed FC Cincinnati has “nothing to do” with this project.
Still, some residents fear displacement.
Crystal Lane, who says she was already moved once during the stadium’s construction, questioned the stability of the process.
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“So to be told to move to City West and then now the same thing is happening again is not right,” she said.
Others worried about the strain of relocating the vulnerable residents.
“My concern is the seniors, you know, the disabled,” said Judith, a resident at the complex. “They got to pack up, unpack, and repack, and move back. That’s just too much.”
What’s Being Proposed
The City West redevelopment will cover roughly 581 units across 48 acres. Wisconsin-based developer Gorman & Company will rehab 519 units, while CMHA will rehab 62.
CEO Johnson said residents will ultimately benefit: “The end result is that they’re going to be living in better living conditions.”
Design work has not yet started, and the 105 units will officially go on the market by December 1st. There is no buyer lined up yet.
Timeline
Construction on CMHA’s 62 Linn Street units is expected to begin next summer. The full project is scheduled to take about five years, with phases tied to Low Income Housing Tax Credit applications in 2026, 2027 and 2028.
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