Cincinnati Proposes $5M 'Reparations' Program for Housing Discrimination

The plan would provide financial assistance to low-income residents affected by past discriminatory housing policies.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Cincinnati's vice mayor has proposed a $5 million reparations program to help residents affected by past housing discrimination. The plan would target low-to-moderate income residents in 15 of the city's neighborhoods who were prevented from buying homes due to discriminatory practices like redlining. The program would provide assistance for down payments, delinquent property taxes, and emergency home repairs.

Why it matters

This proposal aims to address the lasting impacts of historical housing discrimination that prevented many Black families from building generational wealth through homeownership. By providing targeted financial assistance, the city hopes to repair some of the damage done by racially-biased policies that persisted well into the 20th century.

The details

The 'Cincinnati Real Property Reparations Program' was introduced by Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Councilman Scotty Johnson. It would use proceeds from the city's recreational marijuana tax and capital budget to fund the $5 million initiative. The program would assist eligible residents in 15 of Cincinnati's 52 neighborhoods, though the specific qualifications have not yet been determined.

  • The Cincinnati City Council is expected to consider the proposal during the week of March 1, 2026.
  • The program would initially invest $5 million, with the potential for future funding increases.

The players

Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney

Cincinnati's vice mayor and co-sponsor of the reparations program legislation.

Scotty Johnson

Cincinnati City Council member and co-sponsor of the reparations program legislation.

David Whitehead

President of the Cincinnati NAACP, who urged people not to dismiss the proposal because of the word 'reparation'.

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What they’re saying

“Now is the time to repair the damage done by racial and income-based discriminatory policies.”

— Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney and Scotty Johnson, Co-sponsors of the reparations program legislation (dispatch.com)

“I think people get confused and caught up with word 'reparation.' It's restoring people that have been unfairly treated.”

— David Whitehead, President of the Cincinnati NAACP (dispatch.com)

What’s next

The Cincinnati City Council is expected to consider the reparations program proposal during the week of March 1, 2026.

The takeaway

This proposed reparations program aims to address the lasting impacts of historical housing discrimination that prevented many Black families in Cincinnati from building generational wealth through homeownership. By providing targeted financial assistance, the city hopes to repair some of the damage done by racially-biased policies that persisted well into the 20th century.