Residents of a Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority complex called The Evanston claim a former property manager stole their rent money over the course of two years. Now they're taking the housing authority to court to challenge subsequent lease terminations they've received.
Legal filings by an attorney for four residents of the complex allege Dion Crockett worked for CMHA subsidiary Touchtone Property Services as onsite property manager at The Evanston until late 2025. Tenants allege Crockett instructed them to make out money orders to him for their rent payments instead of paying through an online portal. The legal filings allege Crockett then pocketed that money.
Now tenants say they've gotten 30-day lease termination notices from CMHA alleging they owe thousands of dollars in back rent.
Tenant Marvin Barnes first told Cincinnati Council about the situation in January. He said the property manager had him fill out money orders in his name.
"I was new as a tenant and so I had no other choice but to follow what my property manager was telling me to do," he said. "There are several other tenants this has been done to."
Hamilton County Judge Wende C. Cross on May 8 issued a temporary injunction preventing CMHA from enforcing those lease terminations and evicting the residents of The Evanston.
CMHA says they're investigating Crockett's actions. The housing authority declined to comment on the litigation, but it said it is meeting with tenants now to work out their situations.
"If an individual doesn’t pay current or past rent, a 30-day notice is sent alerting him/her and sharing the options to assist them," CMHA said in a statement. "These notices that were delivered at the beginning of April were to provide the individuals an opportunity to correct the situation or come and speak to property management about their situation. We have had specific times set aside for residents to meet with property management to discuss their account delinquency, the current/past payment due, or a payment plan."
CMHA says it has met with 48 of the 58 residents who received the lease termination notices.
"Residents who provided verifiable documentation of unposted payments were credited accordingly, reducing their balances," CMHA's statement said. "To date, 15 residents have filed police reports for theft of rent payments, and 11 residents have received credits to their accounts based on evidence of the theft."
Attorneys for the four tenants say the issuance of the lease terminations violates tenants' due process rights.
"As a direct and proximate result of this conduct, plaintiffs and class members have suffered the threat of wrongful lease termination and eviction, damage to housing records, financial harm from fabricated balances and illegal fees, loss of housing stability and emotional distress," the lawsuit's initial complaint reads.
A hearing on the temporary injunction is scheduled for May 18 in Hamilton County court.
Resident Shane White is listed as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. He also told Cincinnati City Council about the situation in January. He said Crockett betrayed his trust.
"I've been living there for 12 years and I never had any problems with my rent," he said. "I'm just upset."
Read more: