Trouble at Tiffin West Apartments, CEO Under Investigation, Millenia Housing Management | Tiffin, OH
TIFFIN | Tiffin West Apartments, 1746 W Market St., Tiffin, OH 44853 currently has no maintenance or property manager. Residents are dealing with overflowing dumpsters, black mold, broken A/C units, and complete lack of management. Tiffin West also owes over $7,000 in garbage collection fees. A New manager was spotted on site on Friday June 13th, 2025, although the office remains locked and windows covered with paper.
Key Points
- Millennia Housing Management LTD is an Ohio-based company managing many HUD-subsidized rental units, facing criticism for poor living conditions.
- CEO Frank Sinito is under investigation, with no charges filed as of June 2025, following a raid in October 2024.
- HUD Debarment: The company and Sinito are barred from new federal contracts until March 2029 due to financial mismanagement.
- Property Sales: It seems likely that Millennia is selling most HUD-subsidized properties, with some sales in process as of March 2025, but details are unclear.
- Tenant Conditions: Reports suggest ongoing issues like lack of maintenance and safety concerns at some properties.
- Government Takeover: There is no evidence of government takeovers, only HUD monitoring for compliance.
Company Overview
Millennia Housing Management LTD, based in Ohio, owns tens of thousands of rental units, many subsidized by HUD for low-income renters. It has been criticized for substandard living conditions, such as at Forest Cove Apartments in Atlanta, which was condemned due to code violations like rodents and mold (Atlanta Civic Circle – Housing advocates applaud feds’ raid of Millennia CEO’s home).
CEO and Legal Status
In October 2024, federal agents raided CEO Frank Sinito’s home, suggesting an investigation by HUD and USDA, but no arrests or charges have been confirmed as of June 2025. This reflects ongoing scrutiny, with housing advocates hoping for accountability (cleveland.com – HUD cracks down on Cleveland-based Millennia Housing Management following an explosion and poor conditions).
HUD Actions and Debarment
HUD debarred Millennia and Sinito in March 2024, prohibiting new federal contracts for five years due to financial mismanagement of tenant funds and poor property conditions. This debarment, lasting until March 2029, aims to ensure accountability for HUD-assisted housing (WKT – Liberty Affordable Housing hitting purchase benchmarks in effort to buy Millennia properties).
Property Sales and Outcomes
Millennia announced in April 2024 it would sell most HUD-subsidized properties, exiting the Section 8 business. As of March 2025, Liberty Affordable Housing was trying to buy six properties in Oneida County, but it’s unclear if sales are complete. Tenant concerns suggest potential issues with new owners (Shelterforce – A Missouri Tenant Union’s Fight Against Millennia Housing).
Tenant and Community Impact
Reports from March 2025 indicate tenants face challenges like lack of maintenance and safety issues, highlighting the need for better oversight during property transitions. HUD is monitoring for compliance, but no government takeovers are confirmed.
Comprehensive Report on Millennia Housing Management LTD
This report provides a detailed examination of Millennia Housing Management LTD, focusing on its operations, the current status of CEO-related crimes, and the outcomes of communities sold or taken over by government entities, as of June 12, 2025. The information is synthesized from various sources, including news articles, HUD documents, and tenant reports, to offer a thorough overview for local reporters seeking detailed insights.
Background and Operations
Millennia Housing Management LTD, headquartered in Ohio, is a significant player in the affordable housing sector, managing tens of thousands of rental units across the United States, many of which are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The company’s portfolio includes properties under the Section 8 program, designed to provide affordable housing for low-income renters. However, it has faced substantial criticism for providing substandard living conditions, as evidenced by the case of Forest Cove Apartments in Atlanta. This property, a HUD-subsidized complex, was condemned in 2024 due to numerous code violations, including rodents, roaches, mold, and violent crime, leading to the relocation of approximately 200 low-income families (Atlanta Civic Circle – Housing advocates applaud feds’ raid of Millennia CEO’s home).
The company’s operations have been marked by allegations of neglect and mismanagement, with tenants and housing advocates highlighting issues such as inadequate maintenance, financial mismanagement, and unsafe living environments. Millennia acquired many of its properties from Global Ministries Foundation, which HUD forced to sell due to similar neglect, raising concerns about a pattern of poor management.
CEO Crimes and Current Status
The CEO, Frank Sinito, has been at the center of recent controversies. In October 2024, federal agents from HUD and the USDA executed a search warrant at Sinito’s suburban Cleveland home, signaling a potential federal investigation into the company’s practices (cleveland.com – HUD cracks down on Cleveland-based Millennia Housing Management following an explosion and poor conditions). This raid was applauded by housing advocates and former tenants, who accused Sinito of negligence and exploitation, with some hoping for severe consequences. However, as of June 2025, no arrests or charges have been filed against Sinito, and the investigation’s outcome remains unclear.
HUD’s actions against Millennia, including the debarment order, stem from allegations of financial mismanagement, such as missing funds (nearly $4.9 million from 19 HUD-insured properties) and underfunded tenant security deposit accounts. For instance, one account supposed to hold $32,000 was funded at only $3,500 (WKT – Millennia Housing Management HUD Debarment Order Details | Local | wktv.com). These issues have led to significant scrutiny, but the current legal status of Sinito remains unresolved, with ongoing monitoring by federal agencies.
HUD Debarment and Regulatory Actions
In March 2024, HUD imposed a five-year debarment on Millennia Housing Management LTD and Frank Sinito, prohibiting them from entering into new business with any federal government agency, including HUD, until March 2029. This debarment, the most severe sanction HUD can impose, was a response to financial mismanagement and failure to maintain property conditions, aiming to protect tenants in HUD-assisted housing (Shelterforce – A Missouri Tenant Union’s Fight Against Millennia Housing). HUD’s actions included demanding repayment of misappropriated funds and seeking civil money penalties, reflecting a commitment to holding property owners accountable.
Despite the debarment, Millennia retains ownership of its current federal housing contracts but is barred from seeking new ones. HUD continues to monitor the company’s properties for compliance, addressing areas of noncompliance as they arise. Housing advocates, such as Foluke Nunn from the American Friends Service Committee, have criticized HUD for decades of inadequate oversight, calling for systemic reforms to prevent such exploitation (NHLP – Millennia Resistance Campaign Statement On Federal Raid Of Millennia Ceo Frank Sinito | NHLP).
Property Sales and Community Outcomes
Millennia announced in April 2024 that it would exit the Section 8 housing business and sell the majority of its HUD-subsidized apartment complexes, a decision influenced by the debarment and ongoing controversies (cleveland.com – Millennia changes course, is selling most of its HUD properties). This process began in January 2023, with the company focusing on its hospitality, market-rate rental, and commercial portfolios instead. As of March 2025, specific sales details were emerging, with Liberty Affordable Housing in the process of trying to buy six properties in Oneida County (WKT – Liberty Affordable Housing hitting purchase benchmarks in effort to buy Millennia properties). A formal offer was expected within two weeks from that date, but as of June 2025, it is unclear whether these sales have been completed.
The outcomes for communities sold off are a concern for tenants and advocates. For instance, the sale of Forest Cove in Atlanta led to its demolition, with tenants relocated, but there are fears that new owners might replicate Millennia’s neglect. The Millennia Resistance Campaign has urged HUD to ensure that new purchasers invest in repairs and maintain decent, safe, and sanitary housing, highlighting the risk of properties being acquired by other negligent landlords (NHLP – Millennia Resistance Campaign Demands HUD Protect Tenants Ahead of Former Millennia Property Sales | NHLP).
Tenant reports from March 2025 indicate ongoing issues at some properties, such as living in squalor, no maintenance staff, unsecured buildings (e.g., front doors not locked for over two years), and increased drug activity, particularly at the six Oneida County properties targeted for sale (WKT – Liberty Affordable Housing hitting purchase benchmarks in effort to buy Millennia properties). HUD REAC inspection scores from 2024 showed four properties scoring over 90, one at 86, and one at 74, with Millennia working to address identified issues, but tenant experiences suggest significant challenges remain.
Government Takeover and Oversight
There is no evidence of properties being directly taken over by the government as of June 2025. Instead, HUD’s role has been regulatory, imposing debarment and monitoring for compliance. The federal government, particularly HUD, has taken action to address Millennia’s mismanagement, including the raid on Sinito’s home and the debarment order. However, housing advocates criticize HUD for past inadequate oversight, calling for a national investigation into problem owners like Millennia to prevent future exploitation (NHLP – Millennia Resistance Campaign Statement On Federal Raid Of Millennia Ceo Frank Sinito | NHLP).
The city of Atlanta and Mayor Andre Dickens’ administration have supported federal efforts, hoping to deter other property managers from similar misconduct, but no direct government takeovers are reported. HUD’s focus is on ensuring that properties meet federal standards and that tenants’ housing stability is maintained during the transition to new owners.
Summary Table of Key Developments
Aspect | Details |
---|---|
Company Overview | Ohio-based, manages tens of thousands of HUD-subsidized units, criticized for poor conditions. |
CEO Status | Frank Sinito under investigation, no charges as of June 2025, home raided in October 2024. |
HUD Debarment | Imposed March 2024, lasts until March 2029, due to financial mismanagement and poor conditions. |
Property Sales | Announced April 2024, selling most HUD properties; Liberty Affordable Housing trying to buy six in Oneida County as of March 2025, status unclear. |
Tenant Conditions | Reports of squalor, lack of maintenance, safety issues as of March 2025, HUD monitoring. |
Government Takeover | No evidence of takeovers, HUD focused on regulatory oversight and compliance. |
This report aims to provide a comprehensive view for local reporters, highlighting the complexities and ongoing challenges surrounding Millennia Housing Management LTD as of June 12, 2025.
Key Citations
- Atlanta Civic Circle Housing advocates applaud feds’ raid of Millennia CEO’s home
- cleveland.com HUD cracks down on Cleveland-based Millennia Housing Management following an explosion and poor conditions
- WKT Liberty Affordable Housing hitting purchase benchmarks in effort to buy Millennia properties
- Shelterforce A Missouri Tenant Union’s Fight Against Millennia Housing
- NHLP Millennia Resistance Campaign Statement On Federal Raid Of Millennia Ceo Frank Sinito
- NHLP Millennia Resistance Campaign Demands HUD Protect Tenants Ahead of Former Millennia Property Sales
- WKT Millennia Housing Management HUD Debarment Order Details Local wktv.com
- cleveland.com Millennia changes course, is selling most of its HUD properties