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#1800Lives are at risk due to the COVID-19 Virus

There are 1800 people in congregate housing at this time in Cincinnati.

We are all being ordered to maintain social distance from one another and to stay in our homes, but this is simply not possible for people experiencing homelessness or living in congregant transitional housing. For hundreds of people in Cincinnati and Hamilton County, social distancing is not even possible when sleeping. For more than a week, dozens of service provider organizations have been tele-conferencing daily to plan and take action to get people in our shelters and congregant facilities out of direct danger. It has become clear that while COVID-19 is a threat to everyone, its threat is greater to people experiencing homelessness. We are attempting to prevent disaster within our shelters and congregant housing programs and reduce greater risk to our community as whole.Screen Shot 2020-03-25 at 8.56.07 AM

Speakers at Tuesday’s press conference will call on the general public and businesses to make funds available and to donate or discount hotel rooms and other private living quarters. We will call on universities and colleges to make student living quarters with private restrooms available. Speakers, representing many organizations, will call on our Cincinnati Mayor and City Council, Hamilton County Commissioners, local State of Ohio Representatives and Senators, the State Legislature, the Governor, our local federal Representatives and Senators, and Congress to immediately make significant funds available to pay for hotel rooms, assist with increasing staff overtime costs and staff shortages and to get individuals and families with children into housing. It is also necessary that these officials use all of their social and political leverage to secure hotel rooms, university and college dorms and other private living spaces.

Our organizations have been working non-stop to move people to the safety we have all been advised and ordered to go to, but without the immediate intervention of our elected officials and support from our community and businesses, we will lose people to this virus simply because they did not have a home of their own to go to.

5 Ways to Show Solidarity NOW

Service providers are working overtime. Our community immediately needs space for 212 of the highest-risk individuals, and an additional 1000 rooms in the next several days. We need our elected officials to leverage political and financial support to provide safe and stable space for individuals to shelter during this pandemic. It is time to look toward the universities and convince them to offer space.

You are a valuable voice, and you can create change:

1. Call and email the Office of the Mayor and tell him that he needs to leverage political and financial resources to provide space for individuals who are currently unable to practice social distancing.

Mayor John Cranley: mayor.cranley@cincinnati-oh.gov 513-352-3250

2. Email and call the City Council Members and tell them that as a community, we are tired of the lack of access to affordable housing and now during a pandemic, hundreds of lives are at high-risk because people have nowhere to go. Demand that the Mayor leverage his political authority to secure space for the individuals who are currently unable to practice social distancing.

To email all council members, send to CityCouncil@cincinnati-oh.gov

3. Call Governor Mike DeWine’s Office at 614-644-4357 and tell him that the City of Cincinnati is currently unable to secure space for members of our community who are experiencing homelessness, and that we need money to provide shelter for these individuals through the duration of this pandemic.

4. Ask your friends and family to call and email these elected officials with this urgent message.

5. Share the need on social media, using #1800Lives.

Donate

Donations for families can be done at Strategies to End Homelessness: https://www.strategiestoendhomelessness.org/donate/

Donations For individuals and be done through the United Way and Greater Cincinnati Foundation Fund: https://www.uwgc.org/give/ways-to-give/covid-19-regional-response-fund/

News

 

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Stand Strong on Burnet Avenue

 

Burnet Ave. Tenants to Call on City Council to Vote Yes on a Council Motion Supporting Their Fight To Not Be Forced Into Homelessness
For Immediate Release: February 25 , 2020
From: Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition on behalf of Stand Strong on Burnet Ave. Contact: Josh Spring LSW, Executive Director; 513-716-7455.

Wednesday, February 26, Tenants from Stand Strong on Burnet Ave., the Tenant Association at 2341 Burnet Ave. will speak to City Council during the public speech portion of the meeting, which begins at 1:30PM. Tenants will call on Council to vote for a motion put forward by Councilperson David Mann. The motion, which is set to be sent to committee on Wednesday, supports the position of Tenants who are fighting to not be forced into homelessness, as the new owner of the property they live in, Kingsley and Co., headed by former Bengal Chinedum Ndukwe, attempts to displace them from their homes. The Tenant Association initially worked to get Kingsley and Co. to renovate the property for people who live there now, instead of forcing everyone out and renovating the property for future people with higher incomes. Chinedum Ndukwe refused. The Tenant Association has since presented Ndukwe and Kingsley with a proposal Tenants believe will prevent themselves from entering homelessness. Ndukwe has refused this agreement and has ceased communicating with Tenants. Some Tenants have had their home at the Burnet address for twenty and thirty years. Other Tenants were able to exit shelters and the experience of homelessness because they found an affordable home at the property Ndukwe now wants to force them out of.

Ndukwe and Kingsley are building a Comfort Suites Hotel directly in front of the Burnet Ave. building. City Council previously granted the company a property tax abatement on the hotel development worth approximately $2.5 million. Ndukwe and one of his business partners have stated their hope to do another development, at 435 Elm Street, a tax-abated property previously owned by the City of Cincinnati.

Copyright © 2020 Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you either are a part of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition or you have asked to join this list. Thank You.

Letter to Chinedum Ndukwe, Kinsley and Company

Press Conference

Memorandums of Understanding Updated

News Articles:

January 30, 2020 CityBeat: For Some Cincinnati Renters, a Tug-of-War Between Disinvestment and Displacement

February 17, 2020 CityBeat: Residents of Mount Auburn Apartment Building Protest Impending Relocation

February 26, 2020 CityBeat: Residents of Mount Auburn Apartments Next to Hotel Project Say They Face Imminent Eviction; City Council Mulls Help

February 27, 2020 Channel 12: “Where would we go?” Mt. Auburn residents scared to be forced from homes

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Mardi Gras Madness

Join us for an evening of dancing and live music featuring The Cincy River Rats from 8pm to 10pm!

The evening will also include lite bites, cocktails, and silent auction!

Tickets are $35 general admission, $45 day of event
members receive a special rate of $30, just be sure to use the promo code provided through your email

Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4507463

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Location: 4117 34th Ave., 45209

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City of Covington, Kentucky Attempting to Legislate Separation of People Without Homes From People With Homes.

This is the ordinance proposed by the Covington, Kentucky Mayor and Commissioners:  City of Cov Proposed ES Ordinance

Below is our letter to Mayor Meyer, Commissioners and City Administration.

For a PDF of our letter click here:Letter to Covington Mayor Meyer RE Shelter Draft Ordinance

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Changing the Score: Annual Dinner 2019

Every year the Coalition celebrates the accomplishments of its members, the community, and the supporters at our Annual Dinner and Award Ceremony. This has long been an opportunity for organizations and individuals to come together and to share in the success of another year working alongside those experiencing homelessness.

Come celebrate with hundreds of individuals working towards this common goal. Help us recognize individuals who will be receiving awards for their hard work that evening, raise money for operating funds to help sustain our mission, and dance and celebrate another year of hard work!

Join us on Thursday, December 12, 2019 for a night of dinner, awards, dancing and a silent auction.

Tickets can be purchased using the following link:

https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4404169

 

Nominate a person, program, and/or organization for an award!

Click below for nomination forms and instructions.  Nominees and award recipients will be honored at the dinner.  Nominations are due November 29:

Julie Martin Service Provider of the Year

This award is for the individual or agency who has provided exemplary services with people experiencing homelessness in Greater Cincinnati and has shown dedication to the mission of ending homelessness in Greater Cincinnati.

Jimmy Render Award

This award honors a person who is currently experiencing homelessness or has in the past and has committed themselves to addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Young Advocates Award

This award honors outstanding young leaders who are committed to promoting awareness about homelessness and whose actions have supported people experiencing homelessness.  Age Categories: K-8th grade, 9th-12th grade, 18-25 years old.

buddy gray Lifetime Achievement Award

This award, given in memory of buddy gray, is reserved for an individual who has dedicated their life to social justice through a lifetime of community activism, working over 15 years on behalf of people experiencing poverty and/or homelessness in the Greater Cincinnati area to improve the quality of life for all and address systemic issues attached to poverty.

 

Admin Family Homelessness, Get Involved, Homeless Awareness Month, Housing, March, Uncategorized

Housing Now! March to City Hall: October 2nd, Demand Funding for Our Cincinnati Affordable Housing Trust Fund!

Download the PDF version of the flyer below here:  March Flyer  You can use it to print and pass out or hang or to email.  Also, feel free to use the JPEG images below.

Here is anti-displacement focused flyer for the March to pass out and hang in neighborhoods, etc.:  March Flyer (version 2)

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HOUSING NOW! March Flyer Updated Page 2 Pic

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Victory on the Parkway – The Story of The Alms

 

The Alms Resident Association fought for their housing and won with the help of The Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition.  This is their story.

Video by Barb Wolf

 

Alms Final Timeline2

Click for a complete timeline of their success with attachments: Alms Final Timeline

 

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Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement Walking Tours

The Homeless Coalition’s Social Justice Walking Tour focuses on the historical and contemporary struggles and successes of the Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement. Tours take you through the streets, alleys, and parks of the neighborhood and clarify the meaning and direction of decades of neglect and today’s investment. Learn and see for yourself what gentrification looks like and how displacement affects community members. walking tour

Topics covered include:

  • Cincinnati History
  • Housing Laws and Discrimination
  • Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement
  • Hostile Design and Architecture
  • Privatization and loss of Public Space
  • Non-profit advocacy and service organizations
  • Single Room Occupancies (SRO’s)
  • Cincinnati’s 2001 Rebellion against police brutality
  • Gentrification and displacement

19424414_1553964224625415_1242819618628657806_nDepending on time constraints, you may visit a social service organization to see what their day-to-day operations look like. It’s a great way to learn about social service agencies in the neighborhood as well. Tours can be tailored to your group and typically last 2 hours. Expect to be on your feet the entire time.

Cost: $100/Group (max 25 in each group). Tours that include a Speaker are $150 for a group up to 25 participants. Sign up today below or at the general registration page: https://cincihomeless.org/please-register-your-education-event-here/

Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement History Tour
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 1 mile
Part 1: Introduction outside of the Homeless Coalition (30 minutes). Cincinnati history, including Native American history, colonial history, immigration history, and the influence of racism in housing (and many other aspects of life) in Cincinnati.
Part 2: Making several walking stops throughout the neighborhood (90 minutes). Introduction to the Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement and visiting places and hearing stories about how people in the neighborhood have come together to ensure that people (who have been historically pushed from their homes), maintain their ability to stay in Over-the-Rhine, regardless of economic and social impacts. Also, this tour shows how Hostile Design is used and the impact of the loss of public space. Direct and indirect Gentrification are explained and seen through real-life examples. This tour ends at Washington Park.
Over-the-Rhine People’s Movement Today Tour
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 2.5 miles
On this tour, we visit several sites to learn more about how housing and public space are being transformed, and the impact of local residents. Over-the-Rhine has lost thousands of housing units in just a few short years due to massive changes in investment (public and private) in housing and public space, such as parks. We learn about tenant organizing, the impact of nuisance property and housing codes, how non-profit organizations are changing within this landscape, what public-private partnerships do to the availability of affordable housing, and what development is happening around Findlay Market. We learn about, and see the impact of SIDs, TIFs, Tax Abatement, and other programs.
The West End Then and Now Tour
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 2 miles
This tour focuses on the impact of the FCC Cincinnati Stadium project in the West End neighborhood, adjacent to Over-the-Rhine. We see how the construction project has impacted the lives of individuals living in Over-the-Rhine and the West End. We visit locations where tenants organized to save their homes, including a 99 year-old woman who was bedridden and another family whose 15 year-old teen drew editorial cartoons depicting the City and the FCC Cincinnati organization pushing them from their homes. We learn about the structure and limitations of Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) and the overall impact of this project on both neighborhoods.
Findlay Market Area Tour
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 1.5 miles
This tour covers topics related to the Liberty Street Pedestrian Safety project, LIHTC projects, development related to the TQL Stadium, public-private partnerships, the loss of public space, and safety and parking issues that concern residents. This tour also covers important topics related to homelessness and quality of life, such as food deserts, heat islands, and other policy-based decisions that have led to a decrease in life expectancy for people living in the area.
Ohio Riverfront Tour
Time: 2 hours
Distance 3 miles
This tour takes participants to the banks of the Ohio River, where the city of Cincinnati first began. We examine the role of the colonists and settlers in Cincinnati, the impact of the Civil War, and the role race continues to play in the inclusion/exclusion of communities. In addition to historical topics, we also cover contemporary issues like the removal of the Anna Louise Inn for Women, the encampments and current federal lawsuit against the City of Cincinnati, and role of development at the Banks in the privatization of public space.
Note: We also offer a Medical Focused tour, tours including Speakers, and individualized tours. Use the form to request your tour today!
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FightBack Cincinnati

Update On: Tenants Fighting Displacement

May 30, 2019

Today, FightBack Cincinnati: Wade St. & Central Ave. Tenants United met inside city hall for eight hours, most of which was spent negotiating with FC Cincinnati. For the past two months, Tenants have fought FC Cincinnati’s attempts to displace them from their homes. Tenants have steadily strategized and acted to galvanize members of the general public to support their stand against gentrification and displacement. Tenants garnered the support of a majority of City Council and the support of the Planning Commission. In the face of enormous, life-altering pressure, Tenants refused to be quiet or stop working. This mounted in the leverage Tenants had today to bring FCC more seriously to the table.

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As Tenants negotiated, it was of great importance that so many people were in Council chambers speaking boldly and calling for Council to not approve anything for FCC if no agreement was reached with Tenants. Because of the amazing strength of Tenants, the passionate pressure of supporters, the partnership with a majority of City Council Members and members of the Planning Commission, Tenants reached an agreement with FC Cincinnati. This agreement does not make everything FC Cincinnati has done okay and it does not make Tenants whole, but it is significantly beyond where we started. The details of this agreement are not ours to share, but nothing would have happened if we had not all stood strong together.

This is not over. We must hold FC Cincinnati accountable to uphold their end of the agreement and to develop replacement affordable housing. Residents of the West End and all of us must remain vigilant and ready to oppose the threat of displacement this stadium and FC Cincinnati pose. We must continue to implore City Council to pass legislation which prevents displacement for profit and prevents displacement when any city incentive is sought. This, and so many cases of displacement throughout our city could have been prevented and could be prevented in the future with this legislation. Displacement of this nature is occurring almost daily in our city, the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition is constantly working with People fighting to save their homes and prevent homelessness. If you want to stay involved in this fight, please let us know.

FightBack Cincinnati:

Wade St. & Central Ave. Tenants United

As FC Cincinnati tries to kick people ages 5 to 99 years old out of their homes, they are also asking the City to give them yet another zoning benefit.

Come say “NO WAY! NO ZONING CHANGE ALLOWED WHILE YOU ARE TRYING TO STEAL PEOPLE’S HOMES!”

City Planning Commission Hearing

Friday, May 10th, 9am

Two Centennial Plaza, 805 Central Avenue, 7th Floor

Please send your opposition to FC Cincinnati Zoning Changes to the Planning Commission.

Jeff Berding and FC Cincinnati are asking our City to give them a zoning change for portions of Central Ave., Nome Alley and W. 15th St. Yes, you read correctly, not only do they want us to give them yet another zoning change, now they want to change the zoning of portions of three of our public roadways. Eventually they want to own these public right-of-ways. Click image to see map.

On Friday, May 10 at 9AM there will be a meeting of the City’s Planning Commission where they are scheduled to vote on this. We hope you can make it to this meeting to stand with Tenants. Whether you can or cannot make it, please take the time to send your thoughts on why we should not grant a zoning change to FC Cincinnati while they are still trying to force people out of their homes and have reached no agreement with FightBack Cincinnati: Wade Street & Central Avenue Tenants United. Please include any perspective you may have on why granting these zoning changes would negatively affect those nearby whom FCC is trying to displace, and any negative affect you might see on the community as a whole. We have been told that every communication sent about this will be given to the members of the Commission. You can send your position to: Stacey.Hoffman@cincinnati-oh.gov. Please let us know if you have sent your opposition. To see the current position of the Tenant group, click the image.

#NOfcczoningchange #ISTANDWITHWADECENTRALTENANTS

The meeting will be held at Two Centennial Plaza, Martin Griesel Conference Room, 805 Central Ave., 7th Floor.

Jeff Berding and FC Cincinnati say they purchased 421 Wade and 1559 Central Ave. because they want to control what kind of development happens around their stadium.

Why, in their attempt to control development around their stadium do they want to displace this group of people?

Please come out tomorrow night, April 30 at 6PM to the 2nd Planning Staff Conference. FC Cincinnati is asking our City for zoning changes. We have to continue to tell City Council and the Planning Commission to not vote for any FC Cincinnati zoning change while they are trying to put people out of their homes and have reached no resolution with Tenants.

FightBack Cincinnati: Wade Street and Central Avenue Tenants United, with the support of City Council have even offered FC Cincinnati a compromise: renovate 1559 Central Ave for the people who live there now and allow the folks at 421 Wade to move around the corner into 1559. This is certainly not where the Tenant Group started, but they are trying to get something done.

Please come stand with Tenants fighting save their homes! The meeting will be at Two Centennial Plaza, Martin Griesel Conference Room,805 Central Avenue, 7th Floor

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Remember when Jeff Berding said “It doesn’t matter how you got there, when you get there, it’s just that you get there. You want to win!”
He is getting there through displacement but to him it “doesn’t matter”

Remember when he said “The notion that we’re somehow going to try to buy people’s homes out, move people out of the neighborhood, that’s just false. That’s just made up.”?
He Lied.

Do not give FC Cincinnati anything more until the wrongs have been righted. FightBack Cincinnati: Wade st. and Central Ave. wish to remain in their homes.

FC Cincinnati West End Stadium City Of Cincinnati Government Hamilton County, Ohio

WillNotDisplaceLie

FightBack Cincinnati: Wade Street & Central Avenue Tenants United, Issue New Statement.

Click the image of the statement to read what Tenant’s think of FC Cincinnati’s public comments thus far. But before you do, please consider the words of 16-year-old Amier Lane and his 9-year-old sister J’me Rogers at yesterday’s press conference:

“I’ve made a life in this area you know, with my mom and my sisters. I, you know, have a job here, I have friends here, I go to school here and I feel like I shouldn’t have to leave because a bunch of white men in suits with too much money wants us to.” – Amier Lane, age 16

“It’s not right for him [Jeff Berding] to take our homes and kick us out.” What would she tell Jeff Berding if he were there? “I would say, ‘You should go’.” -J’me Rogers, age 9

FC Cincinnati has been reported as stating “they are working with residents” being forced out and that they didn’t know they were displacing a 99 year old resident.

This is untrue. Jeff Berding and FC Cincinnati are not working with tenants to help them find new homes, as they have not reached out to the tenant group FightBack Cincinnati: Wade St. and Central Ave. Tenants United.

Tenants do not want help with displacement. Yesterday they demanded to remain in their homes.

Jeff Berding and FC Cincinnati knew the properties were occupied when purchasing them, as they left Historic LLC as manager until the 30th of April, even though FC owns the properties.

In the photos is the statement FB Cincinnati: Wade st. and Central Ave. Tenants United yesterday demanding their homes not be stolen and a meeting with Jeff Berding.

Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition

April 2

Many of you have been sharing this article regarding displacement of residents in the West End following the development of the FC Cincinnati Stadium. The folks in this article are not the only people being displaced, across the street at the future site of high end condos, people also received notice to leave by April 30th.

These sites are not in the footprint of the stadium and folks do not have to be displaced for the stadium to be completed.

The landlord is quoted in this article saying: “I was approached by a couple of people, and it became pretty obvious that the environment is changing entirely so that people can’t continue living there.”

Apparently the environment is changing such that People of Color paying with Section 8 vouchers cannot continue to live there, but people paying $220,000 to $300,000 for a condo across the street are more than welcome.

https://www.citybeat.com/…/as-stadium-work-intensifies-in-c…

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