Cincinnati Ends Political Contributions by Developers in Response to Corruption Spree

Corruption is a common companion to the development approvals process—Cincinnati is no exception. But Cincinnati is attempting a new approach to conflicts of interest.

1 minute read

October 31, 2021, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The exterior of Cincinnati City Hall on a sunny day.

Max Herman / Shutterstock

Madeline Ottilie reports on a drastic response to a corruption scandal rocking the Cincinnati City Council: a ban on developer political contributions.

Ottilie reports that a law approved last week by the Cincinnati City Council bars elected officials "from accepting or asking for donations from developers that have business before council."

Three city councilmembers faced federal indictment on corruption charges in 2020:  Tamaya Dennard, Jeff Pastor, and PG Sittenfeld.

Among the large cities in the United States, only Los Angeles rivals Cincinnati with the breadth and depth of corruption indictments in recent years. In October, Los Angeles Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas became the latest to face federal indictment in that city, but Los Angeles has yet to take such drastic action to quell the recent spate of corruption charges.

All three corruption charges in Cincinnati involved the development process, according to Ottilie's article, and accordiing to sources cited in the article, the city now has a reputation as a "pay-to-play" government. Liz Keating, Cincinnati council member and candidate for reelection, is quoted in the article saying the council should have gone further in limiting the potential for corruption in the development approvals process. The source article includes more detail about the limits of local power in limiting political donations.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 in WTOP

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today