Cleveland City Council Meeting – February 9, 2026
Cleveland City Council Meeting – February 9, 2026
The Cleveland City Council met on February 9, 2026, for a regular legislative session. The meeting included public testimony on housing, transit, immigration enforcement, and city services; the introduction and passage of multiple ordinances and resolutions; and extensive council discussion on the city's housing crisis, code enforcement, and a modular housing initiative.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Daryl Houston (Bedford Heights, self) criticized the city’s deputy of operations, the unaddressed condition of the cancerment bridge, and the health department, calling for accountability and expressing frustration with public records requests.
- Emily Harper (Ward 7, self) expressed strong support for the RTA's West 25th Street BRT project and dedicated bus lanes, citing economic benefits and pedestrian safety, and urged council not to let a small number of property owners block the project.
- Stephanie Thomas (Ward 12, self) spoke against ICE enforcement, thanked the city for an emergency resolution protecting residents, and criticized a police officer for calling low-income children “terrorists,” urging the city to protect residents and require warrants.
- Bridget Smith Jackson (East Cleveland, self) addressed the housing crisis, linking unsafe housing to crime, health, and education, and pleaded for urgent action, accountability, and a clear point of contact for housing needs.
- Iajine Moses (Ward 5, self) recounted being a survivor of the Rainbow Terrace explosion and fire, described unsafe replacement housing with rodents and elevated lead levels in her child, and called for better support for displaced families.
- Enoch Hall (Ward 7, self) offered gratitude to the council and presented a proposal aimed at addressing public concerns and making Cleveland a tourist capital, while also offering assistance to the city.
- Sunny Willis (Ward 9, self) testified that she and her two children have been without heat since September 2025 and without water and power for a month and a half, despite promises from council members and the mayor, and asked who she can turn to for help.
- Terry Wong (Ward 8, self) criticized the city’s cooperation with ICE, citing economic harm to small businesses and referencing Brookings Institution studies on immigration enforcement, and questioned why Cleveland does not audit or remove its flock cameras like Mountain View, California.
- Joseph Lewis (Cleveland, self) thanked council for the emergency resolution on ICE, urged more concrete action beyond symbolic resolutions, and warned of economic stagnation and fear in communities due to ICE presence.
Discussion Items
- Council President opened discussion on housing, noting the crisis in Garden Valley and deplorable conditions in apartment buildings, and called for a unified voice to hold landlords accountable and work with the administration.
- Councilman Conwell echoed concerns, citing tax delinquency on problem properties, and called for coordination with the county, building & housing, and the housing court.
- Councilman Starr spoke about a resident without heat/water, confirming he had provided referrals and would follow up; he also raised concerns about the lead funding loss (approximately $3 million) and the integration of schools in Glenville and Collinwood.
- Councilman Harsh presented a map of 16,179 vacant residential parcels in the city land bank (14,719 on the east side), called the vacancy crisis an existential threat, and expressed optimism about a modular housing initiative that could lower construction costs and rebuild neighborhoods. He thanked colleagues and staff for their support.
- Councilman Jones emphasized the need for financial institutions to invest in housing, stronger code enforcement, and better pay for inspectors, and suggested that funds could be redirected from stadium subsidies to housing departments.
Key Outcomes
- Unanimous passage of emergency ordinances (first and second reading) under suspension of rules, including ordinances related to credit transfer, bridge lighting repairs, tree trimming, event permits, lease agreements, grant acceptances, claims payments, and zoning changes (Ordinances 180-2026, 183-2026, 184-2026, 177-2025, 178-2026, 179-2026, 181-2026, 186-2026, 187-2026, 188-2026, 189-2026, 1447-2025, 1451-2025, 1536-2025, 28-2026, 32-2026, 103-2026, 109-2026, 119-2026; all passed 15-0).
- Adoption of emergency resolution 200-2026 (15-0), condemning President Donald Trump for posting a racist video of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. All council members were added as sponsors.
- Communications filed from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland Foundation, and Ohio Division of Liquor Control (multiple license applications).
- Condolence resolutions for Georgette Estefan, Carmelita Jerome, and Lenardo Delane Smith.
- Recognition resolutions for Deacon William Harris (100th birthday), Kobe Bryant (Super Bowl 60 champion – all council added), and B at East Convenience Store.
Next Steps
- Council members committed to working with the mayor, administration, county, and HUD to address housing conditions and code enforcement.
- Councilman Harsh indicated a modular housing legislation would be ready for the next meeting.
- Council President announced plans to send the Trump resolution to the National League of Cities for broader support.
Meeting Transcript
That's what we need to run in the house to put it on here. Police need to get them out. And I got to hear off the BS. We got 11. Madam Clerk, please call the road. Oops. Griffin. Here. Bishop. Conwell. Davis. Gray. Harsh. House Jones. Hudson. Jones. Casey. Polensic. Santana. Shaw. Slife. Starr. You have a quorum, Mr. President. Thank you. Will everybody please rise for a moment of silence, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Thank you. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic, for which it stands. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I make the following statement. This meeting of Cleveland City Council is a lawful meeting under Section 605.04 of the codified ordinances. No person with purpose to prevent or disrupt their lawful meeting shall do any act which obstructs or interferes with the due conduct of such meeting. Members of the public are invited to speak only under the rules set by this council. Disruptions, including but not limited to speaking out of turn and making loud noises and loud utterances are in violation of the rules and interfere with the due conduct of this lawful meeting. Such disruptions may constitute a misdemeanor and a violation of section 605.04. Anyone who disrupts this lawful meeting is in violation of codified ordinances, commits misdemeanors and is subject to prosecution. The following is the first and only warning. If this meeting is disrupted, I will gavel a halt to the proceedings and direct the assembled officers to escort any person participating in the disruption out of the chamber. Once persons participating in the disruption are out of the chambers, the officers will close the doors and the disruptors will be handled as directed by the director of public safety. The council proceedings will not begin again until those that participated in the disruption have left the chamber and the chamber's doors are closed. Disruptors will not be allowed back in the chamber after the meeting resumes. Again, this is the first and only warning. Madam Clerk, please dispense with the journal. By council member Bishop that the rules be suspended and the legislation just read be placed on final passage. Seconded by Councilmember Starr. Thank you. We'll now move to public comment. I remind all members to please acknowledge the speakers by turning around and listening to the speakers. And I would ask all the speakers to please acknowledge your time.
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