Interview with Otis Stevens, November 26, 2017

Interview Summary

Otis Stevens describes living in Over-the-Rhine from the late 1970s through 2017. He talks about moving to Over-the-Rhine when he was thirteen, where he lived on Loft Street with his mother. Stevens describes doing building repair work for some of the local landlords, which he refers to as slumlords because of the substandard condition of the buildings. Stevens discusses working to change and improve local conditions for low-income and Black residents, including working with local housing activist buddy gray to preserve buildings, and discusses some of the housing protests of that work. Stevens also describes forming his own business, Speedy Maintenance Service. He notes some of his frustrations getting contracts and recognition for his own development ideas and plans as an African American business owner and resident.

Interview Keyword

African American businesses Findlay Market A&P Store buddy gray Housing activism Discrimination Soup kitchens Cincinnati (Ohio) Over-the-Rhine Slumlords Urban Land Institute

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Interview Usage

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