Published: August 01, 2011
Keating Muething & Klekamp Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Green Township Alleging HUD/CMHA Agreement That Singles Out Green Township Is Illegal
CINCINNATI - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The law firm of Keating
Muething & Klekamp PLL (KMK) filed today a
Complaint, Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order, and Application for
Preliminary Injunction on behalf of its client, the Green Township Board
of Trustees. The intent of the filing was to declare void and prevent
implementation of a Voluntary Compliance Agreement ("VCA" ) that
Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority ("CMHA" ) entered with the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD" ) in June.
"The Voluntary Compliance Agreement subjects the citizens of Green
Township to unfair and unequal treatment. It mistakenly places the
burden of addressing CMHA nuisance and slumlord activity on our
community and every community in Hamilton County. Green Township does
not discriminate. We should not be discriminated against. The VCA should
be discarded," stated Tracy Winkler, Green Township Board of Trustees
Chairman.
CMHA's board voted 3-2 to approve the VCA before the substantive
language was finalized. KMK is confident that the VCA's illegal,
discriminatory, and burdening consequences on the community will be
stopped by the court.
"Our local housing authority may not discriminate. Yet, additional
housing is being thrust upon Green Township without the standard market
analysis that normally precedes site selection. It is problematic for
CMHA to insist upon acquiring 32 units in Green Township when CMHA has
not acquired new properties anywhere outside Cincinnati for more than
four years. The selection process must comport with equal protection,"
said Charles
Miller, KMK partner, and lead trial counsel for Green Township. "We
hope CMHA will agree to correct the mistakes in the VCA. If not, we
trust the court will," Miller continued.
In addition, CMHA has improperly agreed to weaken its oversight of
Section 8 landlords.
"Under the VCA, CMHA will no longer hold Section 8 landlords accountable
for nuisance activity that occurs on their taxpayer subsidized property.
This abdication of CMHA's duties will hurt all Hamilton County
neighborhoods, including Section 8 tenants, while enriching derelict
landlords at tax-payer expense," stated John
Cranley, KMK co-counsel for the Plaintiffs.
About Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL
The law firm of Keating
Muething & Klekamp PLL (KMK), based in Cincinnati,
Ohio, is a nationally-recognized law firm delivering sophisticated legal
solutions to businesses of all sizes - from Fortune 500
corporations to start-up companies. KMK has been recognized as a leading
law firm in general commercial litigation, bankruptcy and restructuring
law, and corporate and mergers & acquisitions law in the 2010 edition of Chambers
USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers.
KMK has been ranked #1 in Ohio in project finance law and #1 in
Cincinnati in corporate law, personal injury law, municipal law,
employee benefits law, land use & zoning law, project finance law, and
real estate law in the 2011 edition of Best Lawyers in America.
KMK received 12 first tier rankings in the 2010 Best Law Firms survey
(Metropolitan Cincinnati) by U.S.News and Best Lawyers.
Founded in 1954, KMK has approximately 115 lawyers and a support staff
of 150 employees. Additional information is available at www.kmklaw.com.
Keating Muething & Klekamp PLL
Susan
M. Kurz, Director, Business Development & Marketing, 513-579-6544
Mobile/Text:
513-502-8950
skurz@kmklaw.com
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