Former Cincinnati City Councilman Reggie Harris has found a new job with the local Democratic congressman.
Rep. Greg Landsman, a Democrat from Cincinnati’s Mount Washington neighborhood, named Harris his new chief of staff.
The move comes a little more than two months after Harris resigned from Cincinnati City Council to take a job with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly known as HUD. The administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris appointed Harris deputy assistant secretary of economic development in HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development at the end of September.
Then Harris lost the election in November.
“Reggie is a uniquely talented and decent person who knows how to lead, bring people together, and get things done,” Landsman said in a statement. “At a time when politics seems broken, Reggie offers an optimistic approach to public service and will be a great addition to our team.”
Harris, 42, was elected to council in 2021 as part of a new generation of city elected leaders after a wave of corruption rocked City Hall. He was reelected in 2023. All nine council members are Democrats.
“Greg is a much-needed pragmatic, level-headed, thoughtful, and consensus-building leader,” Harris said in a statement. “It is an honor to serve the constituents of Southwest Ohio by supporting Greg’s efforts to improve the lives of children and families, reduce healthcare costs, and ensure safe, thriving communities filled with economic opportunities.”
Councilwoman Meeka Owen chose Harris’ successor on city council, attorney Evan Nolan. This sparked criticism from some community leaders.
Among the reasons Owens’ pick of Nolan was controversial: it meant replacing Harris, a gay Black man, with Nolan, who is a white, straight man in a city with a population that is 40% Black.
