Property owners would have to register vacant buildings under proposed Cincinnati ordinance

 

A new ordinance would require property owners with vacant structures to register their buildings and pay a fee, but Cincinnati City Council declined to move the measure for a final vote Tuesday after members questioned some of its provisions.

 

The ordinance, sponsored by Councilman Mark Jeffreys, would require property owners whose structures have been vacant for more than six months to register and name a person within 100 miles of the city who will respond to an emergency or maintenance issue. The registration would cost $250 and last six months after which the owner would have to register again. The ordinance also would allow the city to inspect vacant buildings.

 

Some properties would be exempt, including:

• Government-owned buildings
• Homes where the owner is a “snowbird,” someone who resided there for three of the previous nine months and intends to return within three months
• A building under renovation
• A building that has an approved vacant building maintenance plan filed and approved by the city.

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/02/12/city-vacant-buildings-fee-registered-ordinance.html

 

On 2/11/2025 at 3:18 PM, ColDayMan said:

Charter Committee wants Connected Communities repealed in bid to regain City Hall foothold

 

Cincinnati’s Charter Committee plans to make repealing the Connected Communities zoning overhaul the center of its campaign to win seats on City Council this year, attempting to reverse the Democratic shutout that happened in 2023’s election.

 

The Charter Committee is a civic organization and quasi-political party that bills itself as a bastion of good government policies and the preservation of the city manager as the city’s chief executive. It led the 1925 reforms to force Republican Boss George Cox from power and change the city’s form of government to one in which a city manager professionally managed the city with supervision by City Council. In recent history, Charter has included Democrats, Republicans and independents who either shed their national partisan loyalties or co-mingle during city elections.

 

The committee’s current leader, known as its convenor, is former Councilman Steve Goodin. He was appointed by Hamilton County Probate Judge Ralph “Ted” Winkler to replace suspended Councilman Jeff Pastor in the wake of 2020 corruption scandals that embroiled City Hall.

 

The Charterites issued a news release on Friday, Feb. 7, calling for the repeal of Connected Communities, which Mayor Aftab Pureval and a City Council majority consider to be a major accomplishment aimed at increasing density, population growth, transit use and slowing the increase of housing costs in the city. The mayor and all nine council members are Democrats.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/02/11/charter-committee-connected-communities.html

 

There needs to be a strong YIMBY movement that supports all the council members who voted for Connected Communities and opposes the ones who voted no, as well as the challengers who want to repeal it.

 

Quote

Charter will not offer an alternative plan during the campaign, Goodin said.

 

“It needs to start over with a new process,” Goodin said.

 

So... this is not a good faith effort to improve Connected Communities. They want it repealed and single family zoning perserved.

"we're not against the idea, we're just against how this was implemented" is the most NIMBY statement ever. It's sad that the Charter Committee dissolved into this as I used to value their input. Hopefully if they lose another round of council elections they'll just dissolve. 

A Council minority is working to change the 'Connected Communities' zoning reform

 

City Council passed comprehensive zoning reform last June with three of the nine council members opposing the legislation known as "Connected Communities." Since then, the three opposing members — Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Kearney, President Pro Tem Victoria Parks, and Scotty Johnson — have been working with dozens of community members to identify possible changes to Connected Communities.

 

“We’re not here to repeal Connected Communities,” Kearney said at the start of Saturday’s public town hall. Instead, she says City Council should pass several changes to the legislation related to accessibility, affordable housing, design standards, and more. “Thank you for caring enough about your city to make sure we get it right,” Johnson told attendees. “I always want to stay open to what the community wants. I don’t think we did a good job of making sure we heard from you.”

 

...

 

Many in the crowd hearing about the recommendations made it clear they would rather push for a complete repeal of last year’s zoning reform. “It’s just disgusting to have your neighborhood ruined,” said one participant, sparking applause from the room. “I think we need to vote to get rid of Connected Communities.” The Cincinnati Charter Committee recently called for doing just that.

https://www.wvxu.org/politics/2025-02-15/council-minority-change-connected-communities-zoning-reform

 

I would highly encourage you to not vote for either of the two members running this who are running for reelection this November (Kearney and Johnson)

Here’s when vacant building owners will have to start registering in Cincinnati

 

The owners of vacant buildings inside the city of Cincinnati will have to register them starting next year under a recent ordinance passed by City Council.

 

The ordinance goes into effect Feb. 16, 2026.

 

The measure, sponsored by Councilman Mark Jeffreys, would require property owners whose structures have been vacant for more than six months to register and name a person within 100 miles of the city who will respond to an emergency or maintenance issue. The registration would cost $250 and last six months after which the owner would have to register again.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/03/11/city-council-vacant-building-registry-fee-owner.html

Cincinnati City Council votes on proposal to increase developer fees

 

Cincinnati City Council members unanimously shot down an ordinance increasing certain fees paid by developers who have to take their projects to the city’s planning commission.

 

The rare 0-9 vote in Council's budget committee came after the city administration released a report showing that if the city increased the fees, it would be in the higher range for many of them compared with suburban communities in Greater Cincinnati, as well as Indianapolis; Louisville, Ky.; Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh; and Kansas City, Mo.

 

The fees would have increased between 50% to 150% for items like text amendments to the zoning code, planned developments and major amendments to already-passed planned developments.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/04/01/city-council-walsh-kills-increase-developer-fees.html

There has been some recent discussion in the Hyde Park development thread about upset residents vowing retribution at the ballot box.  Will some enterprising individual(s) try to seize on the outrage to mount a campaign?

 

For Council candidates, nominating petitions are due August 21, 2025, 75 days before the general election to be held on November 4, 2025.

Petitioners for either Mayor or Council must obtain at least 500 (but no more than 1,000) signatures from current registered City voters to be included on the ballot.

 

Nolan is probably the most at risk because he was an appointee and then Walsh if we go off the numbers from the last election.

 

I am skeptical and it would take a strong campaign to overcome a slate of endorsed Democrats but I wouldn't be totally shocked if  a Charterite or non-endorsed Democrat could pick off a seat or possibly even two.  Parks is retiring so there is one spot for an endorsed Democrat.  Anyone without an endorsement would need to run an anti development campaign and promise connected communities repeal/reform.  Turnout is typically higher on the east side and it is an off-year election so it could be an interesting race to follow.

 

Here is an article from March that lists those planning to run: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/19/cincinnati-city-council-race-in-full-swing-with-27-candidates/81358563007/
 

Edited April 25Apr 25 by tabasco

9 hours ago, tabasco said:

Nolan is probably the most at risk because he was an appointee and then Walsh if we go off the numbers from the last election.

It's funny you mention Nolan and Walsh because they are the only 2 people who have made it on the ballot so far. Raffel Prophett has also submitted his packet, according to the BoE, but it is still being reviewed.

3 hours ago, Dev said:

It's funny you mention Nolan and Walsh because they are the only 2 people who have made it on the ballot so far. Raffel Prophett has also submitted his packet, according to the BoE, but it is still being reviewed.

I did see from the March Enquirer article that Walsh was the first to get enough signatures.  Not surprising since the guy always seems to be in campaign mode.

Vice mayor, task force eyes changes, additions to Connected Communities law

Less than a year after Cincinnati City Council approved major changes to how land can be used inside the city, groups convened by Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, as well as council members Scotty Johnson and Victoria Parks, are bringing forward potential additions or changes to the policy.

Council’s Kearney-chaired neighborhoods committee heard the first of a two-part report April 15 and will examine additional changes at an April 29 meeting.

The changes contemplated are likely to need a flurry of new ordinances, although none have yet been introduced. Kearney said it’s unlikely there will be any council votes until after council’s summer break at the earliest.

“It’s about making Connected Communities better,” said Kearney, who, along with Johnson and Parks, voted against the legislation. “The idea was never to overturn the Connected Communities ordinance. I don’t think there’s a rush. I think it’s a matter of being thoughtful.”

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/04/29/kearney-connected-communities-changes-additions.html

Proposal: Cincinnati developers required to build income-restricted housing in exchange for zoning aid

expand

Cincinnati City Hall

Corrie Schaffeld | CBC

By Chris Wetterich – Staff reporter and columnist, Cincinnati Business Courier

Apr 30, 2025

A new proposal from a Cincinnati City Council working group on changing Connected Communities would mandate that developers build income-restricted units in any project that takes advantage of the 2024 zoning overhaul law.

The idea came from a group of committees convened by Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney to look at provisions to add or change in Connected Communities.

In an interview after the April 29 committee hearing, Kearney stopped short of endorsing the idea.

“The next step is more research from our side. Some of these policies are in place in other cities. I think that’s a plus, particularly with the affordable housing piece,” she said.

MORE

Mandating X% of units to be unprofitable seems like a good way to grind development to a halt. The article mentions some cities have these but they are places like Seattle, LA, NY, Boston etc... Cincinnati is not those places.

This is a good-sounding idea that is bad policy.

Governing

Affordable Housing and the Dubious Promise of Inclusionar...

It doesn't create much new housing and distorts the housing market, providing little if any help for low-income households. It's no substitute for broad liberalization of zoning policies.

I think automatically granting certain zoning relief where affordable units are provided is a good policy, but only allowing zoning relief for affordable housing is very dumb.

On 4/25/2025 at 8:04 PM, Dev said:

It's funny you mention Nolan and Walsh because they are the only 2 people who have made it on the ballot so far. Raffel Prophett has also submitted his packet, according to the BoE, but it is still being reviewed.

As of 4 pm yesterday, the BoE lists Owens as also having a sufficient packet. Other petitioners who have made it are Jerry Corbett, who appears to be a former GCWW employee who rents in Mt. Washington, and Ryan James, Director of Strategy at the United Way. I assume James will get Park's endorsement from the party.

Others who have submitted packets but are still under review:

• Anna Albi

• Scotty Johnson

• Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney

• Sol Kersey

• Raffel Prophett

Cincinnati Democrats make City Council endorsements after skirmish

Cincinnati Democrats endorsed nine candidates for City Council Wednesday, June 11, but not before some members of the party tried to endorse a 10th candidate, something the party did 12 years ago that leaders since have viewed as a major political error given that there are only nine seats.

The Cincinnati Democratic Committee’s endorsement has proven to be a powerful electoral force in the last two elections, with the party’s candidates winning eight of nine seats in 2021 and all nine in 2023, wiping out the Republicans and Charter Committee, both of which had at least one seat in recent decades.

But the 2025 electorate is expected to differ from two years ago, when a statewide amendment legalizing abortion drove turnout higher for an off-year election.

The dispute arose after the party’s nominating committee recommended nonprofit executive Ryan James for the ninth spot on the ticket, a decision the party ultimately ratified, much to the chagrin of Councilwoman Victoria Parks. The committee endorsed the seven incumbents who are running this year and were elected in 2023, as well as Councilman Evan Nolan, who was appointed to replace the departed Reggie Harris late last year.

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2025/06/11/cincinnati-democrats-city-council-endorsements.html

10 hours ago, ColDayMan said:

Cincinnati Democrats endorsed nine candidates for City Council Wednesday, June 11, but not before some members of the party tried to endorse a 10th candidate, something the party did 12 years ago that leaders since have viewed as a major political error given that there are only nine seats.

It's wild watching politicians be horrifically bad at politicking. If Parks wanted to specifically name her successor, she should have resigned her seat and had her designee agree to fill it with Prophett. It's good that he's still running although he has little chance of making it on.

Sol Kersey's packet has still not been verified, Laketa Cole's was rejected. Kevin Farmer has made it on the ballot. Other candidates with active campaigns include Linda Mathews and Aaron Weiner.