That's So Cincinnati: 'We will be drowning in high seas' if $50M affordable housing plan passes, fire union says

The Cincinnati Fire Department is short staffed and working so much overtime firefighters are exhausted.

This year has brought a high number of fire deaths for residents – six so far compared to two in 2020.  

Both things mean the Cincinnati Fire Department needs resources: additional firefighters to staff the city's 26 firehouses and more than the current six fire specialists, who conduct safety inspections on properties.

In an interview on The Enquirer's That's So Cincinnati podcast, Cincinnati firefighters union President Matt Alter outlined these concerns when asked whether his organization supports the affordable housing charter amendment known as Issue 3.

The charter amendment, which will be on the May 4 ballot, calls for at least $50 million out of the city budget each year to be diverted to funding affordable housing. It could result in "dire consequences" for basic public services, such as fire safety, Alter said.

"We're basically treading water," Alter said. "We're basically wearing floaties, doing what we can to keep our head above water. This just raises the tide. We will be drowning in high seas."