Terry Horton takes pride in the apartment building he owns in North Avondale.
He rents to low-income families with Section 8 vouchers and said he often hears from tenants that it's the nicest place they've ever lived.
When an opportunity arose early last year to buy another property — and create more affordable housing — Horton decided to go for it. His plan was to refinance the place in North Avondale and pull money out of it to invest in the additional property.
The problem: An appraiser valued his North Avondale building far lower than Horton expected. And when Horton pointed out factual errors in the appraisal that contributed to the lower value, he said the bank and appraiser refused to correct them.
Two subsequent appraisals valued the property significantly higher. But interest rates had climbed by then, and Horton said his plan no longer made sense financially. WVXU reached out to the lender and original appraiser of the property for comment, but neither have responded.
RELATED: Man files federal complaint alleging racial discrimination in Cincinnati property appraisal
Horton, who is Black — and whose North Avondale tenants are predominantly Black — said he believes he was the victim of appraisal discrimination.
He's filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. A HUD spokesperson confirmed that HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity has received the complaint and will begin the investigation process.
On Cincinnati Edition, we'll discuss Horton's experience and the problem of appraisal discrimination.
Guests:
- Terry Horton, North Avondale property owner
- Thaddaus Dawson, certified general appraiser with Dawson Valuation Group, Inc.
- Sharon McGowan, partner with Katz Banks Kumin
Those who believe they have experienced housing discrimination can file a complaint by contacting HUD at (800) 669-9777 or filing a complaint online at hud.gov/fairhousing.
Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.
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