He spent the majority of his life promoting the creation of public housing in Ohio, particularly in Cleveland, and his work created standards copied across the nation.
He was outraged by the state of housing in Hough and other slums, where multiple families crammed into single-family dwellings, sleeping in kitchens and living rooms.
[2] But the majority perceived public housing as a socialist approach to a problem better left alone, and Bohn had a hard time getting politicians and landlords to hear his views.
[4] Bohn drew attention to his cause by launching the study, "The Analysis of a Slum Area in Cleveland" by Father Robert Nevin.
[3] Thanks to the efforts of Ernest Bohn, Cleveland became the national leader in public housing, pushing for increased development and innovating existing practices.