CINCINNATI — A Cincinnati woman said she was left with human feces in her home after a planned short renovation at her apartment turned into months of sewage backups.
Amber Clark told us she's lived at the Community Manor Apartments in Over-the-Rhine for 10 years. The building is owned by the Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH).
Now, she said the unit is causing her issues.
"I come back in to no hot water, no heat," Clark said. "Me turning on any water in the bathroom, the tub, or the sink, floods the bathroom."
This comes after WCPO I-Team reporter Paula Christian reported on problems with POAH in July after multiple reports of black mold at the company's properties.
Clark said crews came out to resolve the issue five times before finding a solution, but the problems got worse.
"Literally me turning on the shower, it starts backing up," Clark said. "This time, human feces is coming up."
WATCH: Clark said renovations in her apartment led to sewage issues
Contractors with the Department of Buildings and Inspections said 18 inches worth of paper towels were plugging sanitary drains.
Clark said even when paper towels weren't clogging things, more feces and flooding spread around the apartment, even reaching the kitchen.
We reached out to POAH for comment on the situation.
Sevara Davis, senior vice president and chief operating officer of POAH Communities, said the Community and Pendleton Apartments are part of a multi-phase renovation project set to finish by September 2026.
Davis said the sewage backups are due to non-flushable items and that maintenance crews responded multiple times, clearing lines, replacing piping and repairing a toilet. All work was approved by city inspectors, and no new issues were reported since Friday, according to Davis.
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"I've been back home 40-something days, and I haven't lived here comfortably," Clark said.
Clark said the situation prompted her to contact city officials. She told us contractors with the Cincinnati Department of Buildings & Inspections found 18 inches worth of paper towels plugging the sanitary drains.
We reached out to the city for comment and received the following statement:
B&I received a complaint regarding this plumbing issue on Monday, 12/22/25, and an inspector visited the property and met with the tenant on Tuesday, 12/30/25. Plumbing contractors came to the building on Friday, 1/2/26, and a B&I inspector was present on that date as well. The contractors found that a large amount of paper towels (they estimate 18 inches) was plugging the sanitary drains; they cleaned and inspected the piping, and the plumbing in the unit was brought back to working order as of that date.
Clark told us the ongoing problems have cost her job opportunities, affected her studies and caused her to worry for her family's health.
"I'm literally calling out work because there's feces backed up," Clark said. "It's a whole lot of solutions that they could have given, but they gave none."
Davis told us POAH is taking a "comprehensive approach" to serving residents through "upgraded housing and support services."
"Our team of 40 local professionals in Cincinnati will continue to work closely with our residents, local government and our non-profit partners to improve the quality of life for all our residents," Davis said.
Cincinnati inspectors said that after finding the piping connected to other lines, crews plan to add a four-inch clean-out to the building's main drain by Wednesday.
