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Cincinnati City Council’s Budget, Finance and Governance Committee approved three motions involving roughly $1.14 million left from a homelessness prevention grant. Council members disagreed over whether the money should support eviction prevention through Access to Counsel or fund outside organizations and other city programs. The proposals still require final Council action before the money becomes officially allocated.
The Cincinnati City Council members debated the future of the unspent money during the Budget, Finance and Governance Committee.
On Tuesday, the committee ultimately approved three motions directing the money to various organizations and city initiatives.
The proposals still require further Council action before the funding becomes officially allocated through ordinances.
The dispute centered on the original purpose of the money.
Three years ago, Council approved a $2.1 million Impact Award for homelessness prevention through predictive data analytics.
The funding went to a coalition of nonprofits led by Strategies to End Homelessness. According to WVXU’s previous reporting, about $1.14 million is expected to remain unspent from the grant.
Council members disagreed over whether that money should continue supporting housing and homelessness prevention.
Cincinnati Council funding debate focuses on Access to Counsel
Council Member Meeka Owens proposed directing most of the remaining funding toward Access to Counsel. The city program provides same-day legal representation for tenants facing eviction.
The program also provides emergency rental assistance to eligible residents. Owens argued that the city should continue investing in a program designed to prevent housing instability.
“We have a program that is working, a documented need that continues to grow, and we have a housing fund that was intentionally set aside again to address that need,” Owens said, according to WVXU.
Owens questioned why the city would redirect money from housing needs while eviction prevention continues to show demand.
Her proposal had support from Council Member Seth Walsh. The proposal would have directed about $968,000 to the Access to Counsel Ecosystem, primarily for direct rental assistance.
It also included proposed funding for youth homelessness prevention work at Lighthouse and for Bethany House, according to earlier reporting by WVXU.
Walsh strongly criticized the motions that ultimately passed through the committee.
“You have chosen to defund eviction prevention, to defund housing security,” Walsh said during the meeting, according to WVXU.
Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney rejected that characterization.
Kearney said the city can redirect money that was allocated but remains unused. She also said Access to Counsel has enough rental assistance funding for approximately four months.
Council could revisit the program’s funding needs during the annual carryover budget later this year, she said.
The exchange highlighted a larger disagreement about how Cincinnati Council funding should address immediate housing needs and broader community priorities.
Where Cincinnati Council funding would go
The committee approved three separate motions involving the remaining Impact Award money.
One motion directed $300,000 toward leveraged support for several outside organizations and initiatives. According to WVXU, the allocations included funding for:
- Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio
- Cincinnati Ballet Company
- Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati
- Film Cincinnati
- Groundwork Ohio River Valley
- Hispanic Chamber Cincinnati USA
- Keep Cincinnati Beautiful
- Red Bike
- Robert O’Neal Multicultural Art Center
- Santa Maria Community Services
That motion passed by a 7-1-1 vote. Walsh voted against it, while Owens abstained.
A second motion initially included $840,000 in proposed spending. Council amended the proposal before the final committee vote.
The amended version included funding for the following programs and organizations:
- $200,000 for the city’s Youth 2 Work program
- $210,000 for City Gospel Mission’s Jobs Van
- $75,000 for the Center for Addiction Treatment
- $75,000 for Women Helping Women
- $25,000 for the YWCA
- $105,000 for the city’s home repair services fund
- $100,000 for the city’s child savings account program
The proposal initially included $50,000 for Freestore Foodbank. Council removed that amount from the motion because Kearney needed to recuse herself from voting on the organization.
The amended motion passed 6-3. Walsh, Owens, and Council Member Evan Nolan voted against it, although Nolan indicated he could support the measure during a final Council vote.
A third motion separately allocated $50,000 to Freestore Foodbank. That motion passed 7-1, with Walsh opposing and Kearney excused from the vote.
WVXU reported that some Council members described the spending as an effort to address factors connected to homelessness, including employment and food access.
Cincinnati Council funding highlights problems with leveraged support
The debate also exposed broader concerns about Cincinnati’s leveraged support process.
Leveraged support provides city grants to nonprofits and companies that perform work benefiting Cincinnati residents. Organizations apply directly to city administration, which recommends awards before Council makes final decisions.
According to the City of Cincinnati’s legislative records, multiple motions involving the FY 2024 Impact Award appeared before the Budget, Finance and Governance Committee on Sept. 8.
WVXU previously reported that several Council members agreed the leveraged support system needs improvement, despite disagreeing about how to spend the remaining homelessness prevention money.
Council Member Jeff Cramerding said the process needs significant reform. Owens also criticized the current approach, arguing that spreading limited funding among many organizations can reduce its overall impact.
The leveraged support process normally occurs as part of the city’s budget process. However, the city administration delayed the process this year.
The available leveraged support funding also fell by 5.1 percent to help address a general fund deficit, according to WVXU.
When Council approved the city budget earlier this year, it set aside $500,000 to supplement leveraged support awards.
The city operates several funding systems for outside organizations. The Human Services Fund supports specific priority areas, while leveraged support helps organizations obtain or expand other funding sources.
According to WVXU’s explanation of Cincinnati’s spending process, leveraged support grants cover arts, environmental programs, and equity and inclusion initiatives.
Organizations cannot receive Human Services Fund and leveraged support money for the same program.
Original homelessness grant created the funding dispute
The remaining money came from Cincinnati’s first major Impact Award.
Council approved the $2.1 million grant for a project aimed at preventing homelessness through predictive data analytics. Strategies to End Homelessness led the coalition receiving the funding.
The project faced challenges during its early stages. According to WVXU, outdated contact information initially made it difficult to reach families considered at risk of homelessness.
Those challenges slowed spending under the grant.
Strategies to End Homelessness later addressed those obstacles, according to the organization’s president and CEO, Kevin Finn. The nonprofit also secured private funding to continue the project beyond 2026.
The contract with the city runs through the end of 2026.
The dispute now raises a central question for Cincinnati Council: Should unused money from a homelessness prevention grant remain dedicated to housing security, or should the city use it for other programs that officials say address broader community needs?
Owens and Walsh argued that the money should continue supporting direct housing stability efforts.
Other Council members supported distributing the funding among organizations and initiatives involving employment, food access, domestic violence services, home repairs, and other community programs.
The committee votes marked the latest step in the dispute. Council must still take final action on ordinance versions before the funding becomes officially allocated.
Residents can also review the City of Cincinnati’s Council meeting records and videos for information about recent committee discussions.
The debate could also shape future discussions about how Cincinnati distributes taxpayer-funded grants to outside organizations.
FAQs
Why is Cincinnati City Council debating this funding?
About $1.14 million remains from a previous $2.1 million Impact Award intended to prevent homelessness. Council members disagree over whether the remaining money should stay focused on housing or support other programs.
What is Cincinnati’s Access to Counsel program?
Access to Counsel provides same-day legal representation for eligible tenants facing eviction. The program also includes emergency rental assistance for qualifying residents.
Which organizations could receive the funding?
The committee approved funding proposals involving organizations such as Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, Women Helping Women, the YWCA, and Freestore Foodbank. Other funding would support city programs, including Youth 2 Work and home repair services.
Has the funding been officially allocated?
Not yet. The committee approved motions directing the funding, but Cincinnati City Council must take final action on ordinance versions before the allocations become official.
