Councilwoman Davida Russell has actively sponsored and supported a wide range of legislation, resolutions, and ordinances in Cleveland Heights from 2019 to 2025. Her legislative efforts focus on equity, public safety, infrastructure, labor rights, and community development. Below is a summary of her key initiatives:
🏛️ Key Legislation and Ordinances (2019–2025)
Racial and Social Justice
CROWN Act: Introduced legislation prohibiting discrimination based on natural hairstyles, protecting African American residents in workplaces and schools.
Racism as a Public Health Crisis: Co-sponsored legislation declaring racism a public health crisis and established a racial justice task force to address systemic racism in Cleveland Heights.
Tenant and Housing Advocacy
Tenants’ Rights Ordinance: Supported the enactment of Section 1351.35, requiring landlords to provide tenants with a pamphlet outlining their rights and responsibilities.
Landlord-Tenant Forums: Collaborated with Municipal Court Judge James Costello and the Legal Aid Society to host quarterly forums educating tenants and landlords about their rights and responsibilities. heightsobserver.orgheightsobserver.org+1davida4ch.com+1
Labor and Worker Protections
Support for PRO Act: Introduced legislation advocating for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, aiming to strengthen union rights and collective bargaining.
Social Security Fairness: Passed a resolution supporting H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which affect public sector workers’ retirement benefits.
Support for PARA Educators Act: Introduced a resolution supporting S. 3681, the Preparing and Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act, to provide grants for training and retaining school employees.
Workers Memorial. Introduced legislation to advocate for workers Memorial Day, recognizing. Workers who lost their lives on the job
Public Safety and Infrastructure
Police Equipment Upgrades: Authorized the purchase of five 2025 Ford Utility Hybrid Police Interceptors and associated upfitting equipment to modernize the police fleet.
Sewer Maintenance Agreement: Approved an agreement with Cuyahoga County to maintain the city’s sanitary and storm sewers.
Resolution Dog park: Where residents can now walk their dogs in Cleveland Heights Parks on leashes.
Creation of a dog park in Cleveland Heights: Added to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan
Community Development and Equity
ARPA Fund Allocation: Advocated for earmarking $4 million from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to support distressed areas in Cleveland Heights and $1 million to assist local businesses in post-COVID recovery.
Infill Housing Development: Promoted the development of 23 new homes in the Noble/Caledonia Taylor community to address housing needs.
Homeownership Programs: Established partnerships with banks and financial institutions to host quarterly “Pathway to Homeownership” programs, aiming to create generational wealth and encourage homeownership.
LGBTQ+ Rights
Safe Haven for Transgender Individuals: Co-sponsored Resolution 199-2024, declaring Cleveland Heights a “safe haven” for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming individuals seeking gender-affirming healthcare, and opposing Ohio House Bill 68. thebuckeyeflame.com+1clevelandheights.gov+1
Youth and Recreation
Playground and Splash Pad Projects: Led initiatives to build a new disability-accessible playground at Forest Hill Park and supported the development of a splash pad at Denison Park, enhancing recreational facilities for children.
Youth Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: Legislation Establishing a Youth Advisory Board for the Cleveland Heights youth.
Community Engagement
“You Talk, I Listen” Forums: Created a community engagement platform to gather resident input on local issues and concerns, fostering transparent communication between the council and constituents.
311 Call Center Proposal: Proposed the establishment of a centralized 311 call center, referred to as the “People’s Resolution,” to streamline resident access to city services. Although the resolution was not adopted, it highlighted the need for improved city-resident communication.
📚 Additional Notable Resolutions and Ordinances
Resolution 199-2024: Declared Cleveland Heights a “safe haven” for transgender individuals seeking gender-affirming healthcare.
Resolution 019-2024: Opposed Ohio House Bill 68, which restricts gender-affirming healthcare and sports participation for transgender youth.
Ordinance 087-2024: Amended Chapter 711 to provide for the licensing of adult-use marijuana businesses within the city.
Ordinance 5-2025: Requiring transparency and accountability for contracts and consulting agreements.
Ordinance 5-2025: Establishing security measures for access to city facilities, meetings and staff interaction
Councilwoman Russell’s legislative efforts reflect her commitment to social equity, community development, and responsive governance. For a comprehensive list of all legislation she has sponsored or supported, you can visit the Cleveland Heights official legislation archives:
