The rights of average citizens are under attack at every turn, Housing is no exception. Efforts to reduce support for public housing, affordable housing, and homeownership cannot go unchallenged. It is important that we begin to see housing policy as being connected on all levels. People have a right to safe decent and affordable housing.

We must STOP the passage of House Bill 408.

The bill will increase the number members on the Board of Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA). This will create a Board with a majority who are opposed to public housing and housing choice vouchers and one that is less representative of the population served by CMHA than the current Board. That is, in addition to the bodies who can appoint Board members now (the City of Cincinnati and the Hamilton County Commission), members would be appointed by the Township Association and another by the Municipal Association of the county, where the member cannot be a Cincinnati resident. So, of 7 members, only 2 would be from Cincinnati, even though Cincinnati is home to 90% of those served by CMHA. The language in the legislation is crafted specifically to target only CMHA since no other Housing Authority fits the criteria outlined in the Bill.

The intent of the bill is to attack housing assistance for those who need it the most. Please take a stand and write members of the Ohio General Assembly asking them to defeat HB 408.