CINCINNATI, OH, October 17, 2025 — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has upheld a lower court’s dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Cincinnati homeowner April Norman, who alleged that the city and several private organizations targeted her property as part of a discriminatory redevelopment effort in the Mt. Auburn neighborhood.
Norman claimed that the City of Cincinnati, Christ Hospital Network, the Mt. Auburn Community Development Corporation, and other partners violated her civil rights through the Auburn Avenue Corridor Strategic Development Plan, which she alleged was designed to push African American residents out of the area. She also accused the city of selectively enforcing building codes to pressure her to sell her home.
According to court records, Norman purchased a residence at 104 Valencia Street after prior code violations had been issued to the property in 2016. She later received similar notices for deteriorating paint, damaged structures, and overgrown vegetation, and said the city’s actions coincided with repeated offers from developers to buy her home.
The appellate panel agreed with the district court that Norman’s complaint failed to plausibly allege discrimination or unequal treatment. Judges noted that her property had been cited for violations years before the redevelopment plan was created and that she did not identify any similarly situated property owners who were treated differently.
The court also rejected Norman’s claims of conspiracy and extortion, finding that her allegations were vague and unsupported by factual detail. The panel concluded that Norman’s federal claims lacked sufficient evidence and that the district court appropriately declined to hear her remaining state law claims.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the judgment of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
