Cuyahoga County puts ‘pay-to-stay’ rent legislation on hold: The Wake Up for Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Cuyahoga County’s law department issued a legal opinion citing an Ohio law that it says preempts the county from enacting "pay-to-stay" legislation. (cleveland.com file photo)

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Ohio is one of five states where tenants can be evicted from their homes “for being a day late and a dollar short on their rent,” says Cuyahoga County Councilman Dale Miller.

Council introduced an idea last week to protect residents by passing so-called “pay-to-stay” legislation, which allows tenants to pay the past-due rent, any late fees and any applicable court costs, and have an eviction filing dismissed.

But an hour before council was to discuss the ordinance in committee, the county law director referenced a 2022 state law that he says preempts the county’s legislation.

That law says “it is the intent of the general assembly to preempt political subdivisions from regulating the rights and obligations of parties to a rental agreement ... including through the imposition of rent control and rent stabilization in any manner.”

Council is now seeking clarity.

-Laura

Overnight Scores and Weather

Northeast Ohio Tuesday weather forecast: More sunshine and warmer temps

Top Stories

‘Pay-to-stay’: Just six days after it was introduced, “pay-to-stay” legislation has been put on hold indefinitely while Cuyahoga County Council reviews its legality, reports Kaitlin Durbin. In Cleveland, 80% of evictions are filed based on nonpayment and the average back rent owed is $1,200.

Today in Ohio: Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman is looking to oil and gas production under state parks and forests to help offset possible income tax cuts. We’re talking about possible environmental issues on Today in Ohio, cleveland.com’s daily half-hour news podcast.

Statehouse and Politics

Abortion amendment: Two Southeast Ohio residents asked the state Supreme Court on Monday to overturn the Ohio Ballot Board’s decision last week to advance a proposed abortion-rights constitutional amendment in a move that would be a significant setback for abortion-rights supporters if it’s successful. Laura Hancock reports the lawsuit argues the Ohio Ballot Board erred last week in determining that the proposed amendment is only one issue and instead contains two or more.

Chinese competition: The realities of competing with an economically aggressive country like China that provides state subsidies to its businesses and has no compunctions about stealing technology warrants U.S. government subsidies for key industries like computer-chip makers, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told the Washington Post. Sabrina Eaton reports DeWine said shortages of Chinese-made supplies like surgical masks and hospital gowns during the coronavirus pandemic showed the country it needs “to make more things in the United States.”

Jim Jordan: U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the New York district attorney, calling the pending indictment of ex-President Donald Trump “an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority” and demanding testimony and documents, reports Sabrina Eaton. Jordan, who wrote the letter with the GOP chairs of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the House Committee on Administration, notes that the Justice Department examined the matter that the N.Y. district attorney is reportedly investigating – Trump’s role in making an alleged $130,000 hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels – and opted against prosecution.

Northeast Ohio News

Mayor Justin Bibb presents his budget proposal to City Council members and President Blaine Griffin during council's first day of 2023 budget hearings.

Cleveland budget: Cleveland City Council passed the city’s 2023 budget Monday night, which includes a handful of changes from council members but largely sticks to the spending plan laid out by Mayor Justin Bibb. Courtney Astolfi reports the city’s general fund budget this year represents about $711 million in anticipated spending for routine city services, like police and parks. Revenues from income taxes, property taxes and other sources of income are expected to be virtually identical.

Police HQ: Cleveland City Council on Monday night approved Mayor Justin Bibb’s plan to renovate Superior Avenue’s historic ArtCraft building into Cleveland police’s new headquarters, Courtney Astolfi reports. Council’s approval paves the way for Bibb to finalize his proposed agreement with the building’s current owner, developer TurnDev, to renovate the building at 2530 Superior Ave. at a maximum expected cost to taxpayers of $90 million.

Opioid lawsuit: Cuyahoga County on Monday joined several cities and counties in suing opioid manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and others tied to the painkiller epidemic that devastated communities across the country. The new lawsuit, filed in federal court, is among the thousands filed by cities and counties across the country over the crisis, Adam Ferrise reports.

Mild winter: Despite the best efforts of some early March snow, it can no longer be denied: This was one of the mildest winters in Cleveland’s history. Zachary Smith reports only 22.7 inches of snow fell from October through Sunday afternoon, the lowest amount through this point over the past 50 years.

Cleveland’s Promise: Ms. Christian Graham serves as Almira Elementary School’s parent ambassador, new in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The district aims to have a parent ambassador at each school to serve as a bridge for families -- connecting with parents and students on a more personal level. Cameron Fields reports that Ms. Graham started Zuri Academy as part of Almira’s after-school program, helping to instill self-awareness and self-confidence in girls.

Spring starts: It hasn’t felt all that spring-y so far this month. We just got pummeled with snow on Sunday. But since Monday was the official first day of spring, photographers Joshua Gunter and John Kuntz cruised the Greater Cleveland area to look for a few hopeful signs of what’s to come.

Business and Healthcare

State and local politicians, as well as leaders from the Cleveland Clinic and IBM, participate in a ribbon cutting for the IBM Quantum System One. From left: U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown; Dario Gil, IBM senior vice president and director of research; IBM vice chairman Gary Cohn; Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted; Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Tom Mihaljevic; Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb; and Susan Monarez, deputy director of Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

Clinic computer: The Cleveland Clinic on Monday unveiled the IBM Quantum System One, an advanced quantum computer that can handle large amounts of data at lightning speeds, in its new home on the Clinic’s main campus. It is the first quantum computer in the world uniquely dedicated to healthcare research, Julie Washington reports.

Women’s Summit: An annual event that brings together women in Greater Cleveland for a day of networking, mentorship and inspiration returns April 20 for a fourth year, this time at Cleveland State University. Sean McDonnell reports the goal is for women to leave the event inspired, with a feeling of “I can crush it. Let’s take the next step.”

Muscle waste: Engineers at Ohio State University and funded by NASA have designed a wearable device capable of detecting the wasting of human muscle typically seen in astronauts, degenerative diseases, aging or lack of use. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports the device, which resembles a blood-pressure cuff, contains an electromagnetic sensor made out of electrically conductive thread stitched in a zig-zag pattern across the fabric.

Crime and Courts

Police lawsuit: A Cleveland man accused Shaker Heights police of using a stun gun and releasing a police dog on him, even though he posed no threat to the officers. Adam Ferrise reports Don Baker, 55, is suing the department and several officers over the Jan. 30, 2022, incident.

Guilty plea: A 15-year-old boy faces nearly three decades in prison after he pleaded guilty Monday to shooting a Case Western Reserve University student and robbing four other people. Derrelle Travis carried out the crime spree in 11 days in December 2021 when he was 14, reports Cory Shaffer.

Confession: Police say a Cleveland man accused of killing four people, including three of his relatives, and wounding an 8-year-old girl called his former girlfriend in Chicago and confessed to the crime, reports Cory Shaffer. The woman relayed the Jan. 13 phone call to Cleveland police within seconds of Martin Muniz flagging down a police car and telling officers that he “did something” inside the family’s house in Brooklyn Centre.

Sentencing: A mother whose son died in a botched robbery in 2021 stood in court Monday and demanded answers from the two men who pleaded guilty to killing him. Evette Conway pounded the jury box’s wooden railing and stared at Philip Hamilton and Jayvion Claxton as she asked why they set up her son, Michael Preston Jr., for a robbery and then shot him. Hamilton, 20, and Claxton, 19, each received life sentences after pleading guilty Monday to murder and aggravated robbery, Cory Shaffer reports.

Summit slayings: Copley police detectives began unraveling the execution-style slayings of three men when they pulled into a gas station and unexpectedly found the suspect there. The unlikely encounter led to the arrest of Elias Gudino, 58, on March 10, hours after authorities found three men bound and gagged on the side of the road.

Arts and Entertainment

Chaka Khan: Seven-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee Chaka Khan will celebrate her 50-year music career and her 70th birthday at a special event on March 29 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Malcolm X Abram reports Khan’s dual milestones will be commemorated with an interview and a Q&A session with Shelby Morrison, the Rock Hall’s director of curatorial operations and artist relations.

Cassata cake: Be part of our search for the best cassata cake in The Land. Brenda Cain and Yadi Rodriguez are searching for the most delicious version of Cleveland’s signature sweet -- not the one that started centuries ago in Sicily -- but our own version of a tender sponge cake layered with sweet pastry cream and fresh juicy strawberries, all covered in cream frosting.

You’re all caught up

Don’t forget, you can always find the latest Cleveland news by visiting cleveland.com. If you value the hard work of Cleveland journalists, consider becoming an cleveland.com subscriber.

— Curated by Laura Johnston with contributions by Cliff Pinckard

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