An Eviction Prevention Program in Cincinnati Aims to Reduce the Number of Residents Required to Leave Homes.
Eviction in Cincinnati
In 2024, Cincinnati recorded 13,601 eviction filings, with a 9% eviction rate among renters, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Black households face the highest risk, with over 25% of Black children in rental homes experiencing an eviction filing annually. Black women renters are evicted at higher rates than white renters.
Evictions displace families and harm credit histories, making it harder to secure future housing. In Cincinnati, only 7% of tenants have legal representation in eviction cases, compared to 93% of landlords. Legal aid has been shown to significantly reduce eviction orders, underscoring the need for increased tenant support.
Eviction Help Center
The Tenant Help Center connects residents and landlords facing eviction with available rental assistance and options. For more information on eviction prevention, visit the Eviction Help Center in Room 115 of the Hamilton County Justice Center or www.cincyhelpcenter.org.
Cincinnati’s Access to Counsel Program
The Cincinnati Access Counsel Program aims to address eviction challenges by offering free legal representation to tenants facing eviction. Funded by the City of Cincinnati, this program ensures tenants have access to legal expertise during housing court proceedings.
The program provides specific support tailored to different stages of the eviction process:
- Helping tenants who receive a 3-day notice to leave the premises: Services provided by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati.
- Helping tenants who have an eviction court date: Services provided by the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati.
- Helping tenants who have an eviction court date and were not able to obtain an attorney before their day in court: Services provided by the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Help Center. Someone is available at the Help Center twice a week to offer legal assistance. Call 513-946-5650 for more information.
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Critical laws in the new Eviction Process in the City of Cincinnati
In October 2019, Cincinnati City Council voted almost unanimously to approve legislation to reduce preventable evictions. Below is an outline of the eight motions that passed. The new Eviction Process in the City of Cincinnati has critical laws you need to know to aid with eviction prevention.
Landlords are required to register residential rental properties in Cincinnati.
Owners of residential rental properties in the city will be required to enter a registry containing their contact information, the address for the property, and an emergency contact associated with the building who is available 24 hours a day.
Landlords with 25 units or more are now required to accept a renter’s deposit in one of three ways.
Cincinnati residents have a few more options. On January 15, 2020, a modification was added to Landlord-Tenant Relationships stating that landlords with 25 units or more must now accept a renter’s deposit in one of three ways.
1. Rental security insurance that satisfies the following criteria:
- The insurance provider is an approved carrier licensed by and in good standing with the Ohio Department of Insurance.
- The coverage is effective upon paying the first premium and remains effective for the entire lease term.
- The coverage provided per claim is no less than the landlord’s required amount for security deposits.
- Remember, premiums for the insurance policy will not be refunded if/when the renter decides to move.
2. The security deposit will be paid over a series of at least six equal monthly installment payments, which installments shall be due on the same day as the monthly rent payment and may be paid together with the monthly rent payment in a single transaction, absent separate agreement by the landlord and tenant.
3. Payment of a reduced security deposit shall be no more than 50 percent of the monthly rental rate charged for the subject rental unit.
One of these modifications has a downside. If the renter opts for the insurance policy, the premiums will not be refunded, like most deposits.
Landlords are required to adhere to unit entry restrictions
Unless it is an emergency, a landlord must give a 24-hour notice before entering a tenant’s unit. If they do not, landlord penalties include a fine of up to $1,000 and termination of the rental agreement. Proper City officials are authorized to do all things necessary and proper to carry out these terms.
The city of Cincinnati imposes a limit on late fees for residential rental properties.
If the rental agreement includes a provision that authorizes the landlord to assess the tenant a fee for past due payment of the monthly rent, the total amount of that past due payment fee for any month may not exceed $50 or 5% of the monthly contract rent whichever amount is more significant.
The city of Cincinnati requires landlords to accept rent during eviction notices.
If renters can pay their rent within three days of notice of eviction, the landlord must accept the payment and cannot evict the tenant or sue them for eviction.
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In 2023, Cincinnati City Council passed a new ordinance affirming the rights and protections afforded to residential tenants, including their rights to be free from unlawful practices and to secure damages from landlords engaged in unlawful eviction practices.
Landlords with unsafe properties must pay to move tenants to new housing.
The city has previously taken on some of that cost or helped residents find other financial help. There’s an exception for damage caused by the tenants; in those cases, the landlord can still charge the renters for damage.
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Tenant and Landlord Training Programs in Cincinnati
The City of Cincinnati also offers the programs below as an introduction to being good landlords and tenants.
Landlord Education Program
The Landlord Education Program is a nationally recognized program offered by the City of Cincinnati Department of Buildings and Inspections in partnership with the Cincinnati Police Department, Cincinnati Fire Department, and the Cincinnati Law Department. This FREE training was created to help guide rental property owners and managers on better maintaining their property to attract quality tenants and keep illegal activity out of their units.
Landlord Education Program Registration
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Written by: Crystal Kendrick
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