Federal Court involved in housing deal, clock is ticking

CINCINNATI - It's battle over adding public housing in Green Township that has millions of federal dollars at stake.

The Federal Housing Department says Hamilton County Commissioners have until the end of the year to vote on an agreement with the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority.

The agreement would bring $2 million to the county for low-income housing, but Green Township is against the deal because under the current agreement they would get the first 32 units.    
        
County Commission President Greg Hartmann talked to 9 News about this situation Tuesday afternoon.

"I think that public housing currently is being more broadly. This issue relates specifically to over 30 units focused in one neighborhood and that just doesn't seem fair," said Hartmann.

Hartmann says he will not sign a deal that would put all of the units in Green Township.

Right now the federal court is trying to mediate the housing deal between HUD, Green Township and CMHA.

Hartmann says it's likely they will not reach a deal by the end of the year.