CLEVELAND — John Williams calls himself an investor who buys homes and refurbishes them, but the communities he's advertising in call his messaging derogatory and racist.
Williams told me he moved to Northeast Ohio six months ago, specifically for the housing market opportunity Cleveland presents.
But his billboards are sparking claims of discrimination.
In the last few weeks, billboards that reference trash houses and crack houses have started sprouting across East Cleveland.
"They are putting the messaging to target neighborhoods… African American neighborhoods," City of Cleveland Ward 5 Councilman Richard A. Starr said.
Williams claims those signs are not just on the east side — that they're also on the west side, but he couldn't tell me which streets to look for.
"I think that the east side, they're a bit more sensitive because the issue is much more in their face when they drive down the streets. There are boarded up houses. There is high crime. There's a concentration of distress, so when someone puts out a billboard that says, 'Yes, I buy crack houses,' some people get offended," Williams said.
Williams said he is trying to attract more sellers in an effort to provide an increased opportunity for affordable housing, especially to those on the Section 8 waitlist.
"Someone needs to step up, someone needs to do something, and when you call it the problem so clearly and blatantly, they'll feel some sort of way about it. It's sparking that conversation that a solution needs to be provided, and I think that solution is gonna be sparked by private capital investors that are gonna come in there and fix up these homes," Williams added.
Williams told me he sees no issue with the language he has been using thus far because it's "the truth."
Starr is frustrated by the messaging, as he explained that the city has demolished dozens of nuisance properties in the last three years.
Williams' billboards referencing crack houses have been removed from the Cleveland area. But that doesn't mean they will never reappear.
"Are you gonna continue to put up billboards that reference crack houses or trash homes?," I asked Williams.
"Definitely. We buy homes. The saying is clear, 'Is your home trash? We'll pay cash.' People are gonna say that there's no trash homes in Cleveland or in any other city. There's tons of them. We can ignore the reality or we can step up, we can fix these homes and we can put people in need inside of those homes," Williams answered.
Although some of Williams' advertisements have been canned for the time being, his marketing has not slowed down.
Another advertisement that depicts Williams with a Japanese headband, also known as a hachimaki, has appeared. A sword is shown behind him, too.
This new billboard reads, 'Top Ninja.'
There are at least two I've seen as of Wednesday night.
"When you talk about top ninja, that is another way of using the N-word, which is something that we fought over for decades to not to be able to allow somebody to just call you that word," Starr said. "Think about this billboard. You won't put that in Asia town. You won't put that anywhere else."
Williams argues he and his son watched the Karate Kid movie two weeks ago, and that was the catalyst for his new billboard.
"My kid's been obsessed with it. We got a little sword at Target and I was thinking of a new campaign, and we want something in reference to the Karate Kid talking about slashing fees because we don't charge real estate commissions. I thought it was cool, I thought it was catchy, and we put them up," Williams said.
Starr doesn't believe there was not an ulterior motive to the language used in the advertisement.
"Advertisement and marketing is one thing, but using different slang and using different words and phrases that are demeaning to the community is never something that's going to be tolerated, especially in a central neighborhood when I'm the council person," he said.
I asked Williams if his billboards are truly attracting sellers. He said yes.
"On the first of August, we have 19 people moving into homes, most of which were boarded up and vacant," Williams said.
Williams said he's going to continue advertising throughout Cleveland as he sees himself as the only one solving the housing crisis.
"I don't see anyone else doing it, and I'm not saying I can solve all the problems, not saying that at all. I'm saying that sparking the conversation will likely instigate others to try to work together to find a solution," Williams said. "I believe if the people trying to take down the billboards worked as hard to go against me as they would to solve crime, a lot of violence, people going missing; if they worked half as hard solving those problems, a lot more people would be in a better situation."
"Those council members can't exactly solve crime," I said to Williams. "They're just council members. That would be law enforcement."
"I'm not saying that they're gonna step up and become police officers, but what they could do is work together with their community to find some type of common ground to find solutions," Williams said.
Starr said if the billboards continue to cause an uproar, he will introduce legislation that seeks to partner with billboard owners and have a say in the marketing that pops up in Cleveland.
"I want people to understand you gotta have respect and you have to understand the code of ethics. If you ever want to talk about something being unethical or ethical, take it to your house. What I mean by that is this billboard that is posted up that says top ninja — Do you put that next to your door? Do you put it next to your grandma's house? Do you put it next to your sister's house? Do you put it next to your mom's house? If the answer is no, then you shouldn't do it at all," Starr said.
Williams wants to know if that legislation is introduced and eventually passed, "Where's the line stop?"
"This is America. We have freedom of speech," he said.
Starr has not yet had a conversation with Williams, but both tell me they're open to it.
I reached out to Lamar Advertising for more information. I'm still waiting to hear back.
