Dozens of tenants from three Northside apartment buildings took to the sidewalk Monday to announce the Chase Ave Tenants Union, saying years of mold, broken radiators, gas leaks, and pest infestations have pushed them past their limit. Residents also complained of sudden water shutoffs, maintenance workers walking into units without proper notice, and eviction warnings, they say, came with little or no explanation. At 1614 Chase Avenue, one tenant pointed out peeling walls and windows without locks inside his unit, while organizers taped a letter to the on-site management office, demanding good-faith negotiations.
According to WCPO, the new Chase Ave group is a neighborhood chapter of the Cincinnati Tenants’ Union, launched to push for repairs and stronger lease protections. Resident Patrick Carroll told the crowd, "We need a lease that guarantees pests, mold, water damage, and other health issues are addressed properly," and union members said they want clear, written language that makes those repairs enforceable. Organizers say they plan to negotiate specific clauses that restrict arbitrary notices and spell out firm timelines for getting problems fixed.
The Cincinnati Tenants’ Union runs a resource hub, and organizers say they regularly help renters set up building-level unions to demand basic repairs and stronger leases. The City of Cincinnati tenants' guide states that landlords must give tenants 24 hours' notice before entering a unit and cannot retaliate against renters who report habitability problems or organize with their neighbors. The guide also outlines how to use rent escrow through the courts and when tenants may qualify for relocation assistance if a building is officially ruled uninhabitable.
What tenants are demanding
Residents say they presented a letter, signed by 83% of people in the buildings, asking CATS Management and owner Constance Wilson to enter good-faith negotiations and add specific guarantees to leases covering pests, mold, water and heat. Tenants posted that letter on the management office door. They described leaking radiators, broken appliances, and laundry rooms that are frequently out of order. One tenant, Brendan Marcum, showed reporters mold and flaking walls inside his unit at 1614 Chase, and organizers say a neighbor identified only as Hugh received a 30-day notice to vacate without any explanation.
A representative for management told reporters that the worst problems have already been addressed and said some remaining issues are due to the age of the buildings. The representative added that parts for the laundry machines are difficult to get and that overloading the machines can damage the pumps, so a notice was posted asking residents not to overfill them, as reported by WCPO.
Legal implications
Under Cincinnati rules, tenants can call 311 to report unsafe conditions, place rent into escrow through Hamilton County Municipal Court, and, in some situations, receive relocation assistance if the city orders a building vacated for being uninhabitable, according to the City of Cincinnati tenants' guide. That guide also warns that landlords are not allowed to retaliate against tenants for reporting poor conditions or for organizing, protections that union members pointed to during the rally. Those local rules give tenants a legal framework to lean on while they try to negotiate with management.
What's next
Organizers say they will keep knocking on doors, collecting documentation on building conditions, and pressing CATS Management to sign a written lease that locks in timely repairs and basic health protections. The Cincinnati Tenants’ Union continues to post resources and contact information on its website for renters who want support or are interested in forming their own building-level union.
