“Sometimes we talk about affordable housing, and we should be talking about building markets. Sometimes it’s vice versa but either way, we’re confusing the issue,” said Dennis Roberts, Chief Strategy Officer at Cuyahoga Land Bank.

This confusion has real consequences, especially in places like East Cleveland, one of the most disinvested cities in the nation. With an average household income of roughly $22,000 per year, the instinct is often to double down on affordability. But research (and lived experience) tells us that the most vibrant, resilient communities are those with mixed incomes.

“Experts say the most vibrant communities are those that have mixed incomes,” Roberts said. “That means, we need to bring new people to East Cleveland with higher incomes, while we continue to create and support housing opportunities for the people who have lived there for years.”

That statement can sound provocative, even uncomfortable. But the point isn’t to exclude existing residents, but rather to expand the market so opportunity, investment and demand can return to benefit everyone.

The Real Diagnosis: Concentrated Poverty

Concentrated poverty doesn’t just limit individual households; it weakens entire systems, including schools, commercial corridors, public services and civic life. When everyone in a neighborhood is financially constrained, there’s little capacity to demand or sustain quality amenities.

“The sickness is being misdiagnosed,” Roberts explained. “We need more quality housing that supports people at various income levels; these homeowners with higher incomes in turn will demand better schools, shopping centers, amenities, which will be a benefit to everyone in that community.”

At the core, most people (regardless of income) want the same things. Roberts explained, “They want a decent place to live, decent schools, amenities, a walkable community, a place to take their kids – and they want it to be safe.”

Mixed-income neighborhoods make those shared aspirations achievable.

Market-Building Is a Team Sport

Creating these conditions requires coordinated action across sectors, particularly in places that have experienced decades of disinvestment.

“The local government could take responsibility for land assembly, signaling that it will act in a strategic and sustainable way,” Roberts said. “That would give the private sector the confidence to invest for the long-term. The philanthropic community could also have to help de-risk early investment opportunities. Each sector plays a role.”

No single organization or team can do this alone. Market recovery is an ecosystem effort.

Being Willing to Be the Loss Leader

At Cuyahoga Land Bank, that ecosystem approach often starts with intentional risk-taking.

“Many times, when the Cuyahoga Land Bank goes into a community, we are the loss leaders. We often lose money on those initial homes and we recognize that,” Roberts described. “But we are creating the conditions for private investment to come in afterwards, make money and create a healthy market.”

This is how markets are rebuilt: not by avoiding loss entirely, but by using strategic losses to unlock long-term value.

Poverty as a Societal Issue, not a Local Flaw

The logic behind public investment in housing markets isn’t fundamentally different from how we think about schools.

“A school system is an investment that we all make because we recognize the importance of it,” Roberts said. “If we recognize that, we should also recognize that pockets of poverty are not good for society. We have to recognize that, like schools, concentrated poverty is a collective societal issue.”

Mixed-income neighborhoods aren’t charity. They’re infrastructure for opportunity.

Patience Is Part of the Strategy

Finally, there’s no shortcut around time.

“If it took years in order to create a situation, it’s going to take years to fix it,” Roberts said.

Rebuilding markets, restoring confidence and rebalancing neighborhoods is slow, deliberate work. But the payoff is profound: communities that are not only affordable, but functional, vibrant and durable.

The goal isn’t just housing people. It’s rebuilding places, and mixed-income neighborhoods are one of the most powerful tools we have to do exactly that.

The post Building Markets, Not Just Housing: The Case for Mixed-Income Neighborhoods appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

The long-awaited groundbreaking of a 52-unit senior-living apartment complex on Cleveland’s near West Side marks the first investment of a unique public-private partnership fund announced earlier this year.

Shovels are in the ground near the corner of Clark Avenue and Fulton Road for the Walton Apartments, the result of a multi-partner collaboration that included land assembled by Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cleveland Housing Investment Fund (CHIF) dollars.

“I spent a better part of five years thinking about what this site could become when I was at what is now the MetroWest CDC,” said Ricardo León, President and CEO of Cuyahoga Land Bank.

“We always talked about having quality, affordable housing in our community for residents, in need … and it’s amazing to know that Cuyahoga Land Bank could be a small part of it.”

The Land Bank assembled the parcels where, after multiple failed attempts to find a project that would work financially, the $19 million development in the heart of Latino-community will sit.

Walton Apartments was made possible by the Cleveland office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the national non-profit behind CHIF. In partnership with the City of Cleveland, the fund is designed to stimulate economic growth by addressing address the affordable housing crisis facing neighborhoods with little or no investment.

The long-term plan is to leverage an $18 million grant from the city and $20 million investment from KeyBank folding in additional civic, business and philanthropic investments. The fund is expected to raise up to $100 million over the next decade under the LISC Fund Management, which has $865 million in total assets.

“We knew that we needed to unlock flexible capital to create affordable workforce and mixed income housing in Cleveland. But while we’re still moving towards that $100 million goal, we’re not waiting to make impact,” explains Kandis Williams, executive director of LISC Cleveland.

CHIF dollars will be available over the life of the fund, Williams said. The goal, she added, is to support building between 2,500 to 3,000 low- to moderate-income housing units and provide neighborhood rehabilitation project funding, with an average loan or investment of $1 million to $5 million per project.

While the Cleveland fund is unique to the city’s needs it is based on similar funds LISC created in partnership with Dallas, Charlotte and Detroit.

The Walton Apartment project, which will include at least 20 affordable housing units, Williams points out will be a catalytic investment for seniors and families in the Clark-Fulton where the lack of development is stark contrast to the hot housing markets that surround the neighborhood.

“Here we’re seeing the vision take shape with real homes for real people and real progress in less than six months. It is a perfect example of what CHIF was meant to do helping community minded developers to bring complex projects to life,” Williams added.

The CHIF created in 2025, joins another $100 million fund dedicated to brownfield remediation.

In 2023, the city partnered with the Cleveland Foundation’s on the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund seeded the initial investment with $50 million in federal ARPA funds.

The Cleveland Foundation manages the assets that are expected to redevelop about 1,000 acres of land for commercial use to attract new industries and jobs to the city. The Foundation offers a direct donation option to the Site Readiness Fund.

In addition, funding the construction of affordable housing, CHIF funds are also available to community-based organizations and smaller developers facing challenges accessing capital.

Two-million dollars from the CHIF were used for the Walton project by Völker Development Inc., a national affordable housing development company specializing in workforce and affordable housing.

Greg Baron, Völker Development Inc.’s midwest managing director of development said the funding supports the Walton’s age-in-place design of one and two bedroom open-concept units that all have a washer and dryer unit.

The building was designed to be an anchor in the community, Baron added, and will have a fitness center with equipment selected specifically for the senior tenants.

There will also be a computer lab, on-site salon, a community and conference room, and office space for staff to meet with the tenants and help with senior services, he added.

“The Walton apartments marks our third recent large-scale investment in Cleveland,” Baron added. “These amenities will not only help in the effort to redevelop this section of Clark/Fulton but most importantly, the development will provide brand new, affordable homes for seniors, most in need.”

The Walton capital stack also includes $800,000 in gap funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati; $500,000 from the Cuyahoga County Home Funds; and a state of Ohio Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

“This project proves what’s possible when you align public and private capital around community priorities. This can provide a blueprint for how Cleveland can build housing in an inclusive, sustainable and accessible way,” Shanelle Smith Whigham, a KeyBank senior vice president and national community engagement director said. “It represents someone’s future. It represents peace of mind. It represents a seat at the table. It represents a community’s promise in renewal.”

The post Cuyahoga Land Bank, Cleveland Housing Investment Fund Behind New Clark-Fulton Aging-in-Place Housing appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

In the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood, a pair of newly constructed houses were now sit in the massive shadow of what was once the largest clothing manufacturing plant in the country. 

The duplexes, built by Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM),PadSmart and in partnership with Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cuyahoga County, mimic the modest homes that once dotted the neighborhood outside of the 638,000 square foot/17 acres footprint of the Richman Building.

The four 500 square foot, high-efficient, solar-powered efficiencies mark the initial phase of LMM’s $2.2 million Breaking New Ground housing initiative and the first foray into new construction for the organization. 

“These four units are special for (LMM). As our first new build, they round out our own housing continuum which consists of shared housing for singles, now efficiencies for singles and houses for families,” LMM President and CEO, Maria Foschia told attendees at a ribbon cutting for the nearly completed homes.  

The new construction on Luther Avenue, Foschia said, was funded by investments from personal, family and corporate foundations using land and financial help from the city and Cuyahoga Land Banks, Foschia explains. 

As a philanthropic organization focused in part on housing equity, the goal is to build homes for those in need while also revitalizing the neighborhood, devastated by the Richman closure in 1992 and housing crisis in 2008, around LMM headquarters. 

“This project comes on the heels of our housing rehab project. Just down the road from here, our affordable housing portfolio will reach over 36 units by this time next year,” she added. 

SOLAR HOMES  

The studio-style units on Luther Avenue are also serving as a pilot program. The units were constructed using extra insulation and come with a rooftop covered in solar panels. The design aims to lower utility costs, which along with below market rent makes the units affordable for tenants transitioning from homelessness.  

The 500-square feet space is comprised of a lofted living/dinning space which includes a full-kitchen. In addition, there is an accessibly-designed bathroom with a walk-in shower and a utility room outfitted with a dual washer/dryer. 

The aptly named “Solar Houses” are located on land owned by Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cleveland Land Bank and uses panelized construction built by workers, some of whom have experienced homelessness themselves. 

LMM partnered with Cleveland-based PadSmart, the company that designed and eventually constructed the walls and roof panels at an off-site warehouse 

Co-founder Packy Hyland said the wall and roof panels have a combined total of 10 inches of insulation, and the buildings have highly efficient HVAC systems. The homes are also outfitted with all-electric appliances.  

The combination of thick insulation and solar panels are expected to cut energy consumption by at least half of that of a traditional home. The panels are expected to provide enough energy to power the entire building for about eight months out of the year. 

“We are projecting these to be net zero, with the houses producing as much energy as they consume,” Michael Searing, LLM Chief Program explains. “These homes will save about 15% of the (traditional) costs, over $100,000 over the next 20 years, making them affordable for our tenants, who will be moving in by year’s end.” 

Combining the off-site construction cost savings with lower utility payments and using Land Bank property allows LMM to offer rent under the market rate, Searing explains. 

Searing added that the development will serve as a pilot allowing LMM to analyze the energy data, efficiency and costs associated with the four units. The plan is to scale the project to building out more units on the street and eventually other areas of the city. 

The homes come just as the city of Cleveland and St.Clair Superior Development Corporation embark on an expansive Community Building Project, which includes street scape, intersection and business “frontage” improvements down East 55th Street or the “West Gateway” district. 

The plan is to attract a civic or business anchor to build a walkable commercial district around and increase the number of homeowner residents from the current 35% to at least 50%.  

Ricardo León, Cuyahoga Land Bank CEO said the Land Bank is interested in partnering on building out Luther Avenue, along with other parts of the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, with more solar-powered, efficient, panelized duplexes.  

“It is exciting that LMM is willing to break the mold and push forward using this new strategy in neighborhoods where there is not typically much new development,” León said.  

The Land Bank along with the Cleveland Foundation, Cuyahoga County Council, Dollar and US Bank donated to LMM’s Solar Houses and upcoming 3-D printed housing pilot projects.  

León said he believes LMM’s “innovative” approach to figuring out how to make housing in low-income communities in need of revitalization is scalable.  

“This is about forward-thinking, and my hope is that this will be a model for how we can build more in our city, our county and our region,” León said. 

The post Cuyahoga Land Bank Partners with LMM on Solar Housing Pilot  appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

The long-awaited groundbreaking of a 52-unit senior-living apartment complex on Cleveland’s near West Side marks the first investment of a unique public-private partnership fund announced earlier this year.

Shovels are in the ground near the corner of Clark Avenue and Fulton Road for the Walton Apartments, the result of a multi-partner collaboration that included land assembled by Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cleveland Housing Investment Fund (CHIF) dollars.

“I spent a better part of five years thinking about what this site could become when I was at what is now the MetroWest CDC,” said Ricardo León, President and CEO of Cuyahoga Land Bank.

“We always talked about having quality, affordable housing in our community for residents, in need … and it’s amazing to know that Cuyahoga Land Bank could be a small part of it.”

The Land Bank assembled the parcels where, after multiple failed attempts to find a project that would work financially, the $19 million development in the heart of Latino-community will sit.

Walton Apartments was made possible by the Cleveland office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the national non-profit behind CHIF. In partnership with the City of Cleveland, the fund is designed to stimulate economic growth by addressing address the affordable housing crisis facing neighborhoods with little or no investment.

The long-term plan is to leverage an $18 million grant from the city and $20 million investment from KeyBank folding in additional civic, business and philanthropic investments. The fund is expected to raise up to $100 million over the next decade under the LISC Fund Management, which has $865 million in total assets.

“We knew that we needed to unlock flexible capital to create affordable workforce and mixed income housing in Cleveland. But while we’re still moving towards that $100 million goal, we’re not waiting to make impact,” explains Kandis Williams, executive director of LISC Cleveland.

CHIF dollars will be available over the life of the fund, Williams said. The goal, she added, is to support building between 2,500 to 3,000 low- to moderate-income housing units and provide neighborhood rehabilitation project funding, with an average loan or investment of $1 million to $5 million per project.

While the Cleveland fund is unique to the city’s needs it is based on similar funds LISC created in partnership with Dallas, Charlotte and Detroit.

The Walton Apartment project, which will include at least 20 affordable housing units, Williams points out will be a catalytic investment for seniors and families in the Clark-Fulton where the lack of development is stark contrast to the hot housing markets that surround the neighborhood.

“Here we’re seeing the vision take shape with real homes for real people and real progress in less than six months. It is a perfect example of what CHIF was meant to do helping community minded developers to bring complex projects to life,” Williams added.

The CHIF created in 2025, joins another $100 million fund dedicated to brownfield remediation.

In 2023, the city partnered with the Cleveland Foundation’s on the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund seeded the initial investment with $50 million in federal ARPA funds.

The Cleveland Foundation manages the assets that are expected to redevelop about 1,000 acres of land for commercial use to attract new industries and jobs to the city. The Foundation offers a direct donation option to the Site Readiness Fund.

In addition, funding the construction of affordable housing, CHIF funds are also available to community-based organizations and smaller developers facing challenges accessing capital.

Two-million dollars from the CHIF were used for the Walton project by Völker Development Inc., a national affordable housing development company specializing in workforce and affordable housing.

Greg Baron, Völker Development Inc.’s midwest managing director of development said the funding supports the Walton’s age-in-place design of one and two bedroom open-concept units that all have a washer and dryer unit.

The building was designed to be an anchor in the community, Baron added, and will have a fitness center with equipment selected specifically for the senior tenants.

There will also be a computer lab, on-site salon, a community and conference room, and office space for staff to meet with the tenants and help with senior services, he added.

“The Walton apartments marks our third recent large-scale investment in Cleveland,” Baron added. “These amenities will not only help in the effort to redevelop this section of Clark-Fulton but most importantly, the development will provide brand new, affordable homes for seniors, most in need.”

The Walton capital stack also includes $800,000 in gap funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati; $500,000 from the Cuyahoga County Home Funds; and a state of Ohio Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

“This project proves what’s possible when you align public and private capital around community priorities. This can provide a blueprint for how Cleveland can build housing in an inclusive, sustainable and accessible way,” Shanelle Smith Whigham, a KeyBank senior vice president and national community engagement director said. “It represents someone’s future. It represents peace of mind. It represents a seat at the table. It represents a community’s promise in renewal.”

The post Cuyahoga Land Bank, Cleveland Housing Investment Fund Part of New Clark-Fulton Aging in Place Housing appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Building stronger communities requires a collaborative spirit, and we are fortunate to partner with these exceptional housing and development organizations.

Thriving Communities, a program of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, works to revitalize neighborhoods by addressing urban blight, creating greenspaces and promoting sustainable land use. Thriving Communities collaborates with Cuyahoga Land Bank by working together on projects that repurpose vacant and abandoned properties, often coordinating efforts to transform these spaces into valuable community assets, such as side yards or green spaces.

Western Reserve Land Conservancy is a large land trust dedicated to conserving natural lands, protecting family farms and creating vibrant urban green spaces across Northeast Ohio. Through its Thriving Communities program, WRLC collaborates with Cuyahoga Land Bank to transform vacant and blighted properties into productive greenspaces, side yards and other community assets, contributing to neighborhood revitalization.

NEO CANDO (Northeast Ohio Community and Neighborhood Data for Organizing) provides accessible, comprehensive data and analysis on neighborhoods in Northeast Ohio. NEO CANDO supports Cuyahoga Land Bank by supplying data-driven insights on property conditions, vacancy rate, and market trends, which help the Land Bank make informed decisions about property acquisition and redevelopment strategies.

Center for Community Progress, the only national nonprofit dedicated to helping communities tackle property vacancy, abandonment, and deterioration, provides technical assistance and best practices to Cuyahoga Land Bank, helping them to develop and implement effective strategies for property revitalization and community development.

The US EPA Region 5 oversees environmental protection efforts in six Midwestern states, including Ohio. The U.S. EPA Region 5 collaborates with the Cuyahoga Land Bank by providing grant funding and technical assistance for brownfield remediation and redevelopment projects, helping to address environmental contamination and revitalize blighted properties. The EPA recently announced $6.5 million in brownfield grants through its Investing in America agenda to rehabilitate and revitalize communities in Ohio, including the Land Bank’s efforts to clean up the proposed Hillson Nut Company expansion project in the City of Cleveland. 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides federal funding and support for housing and community development programs nationwide. HUD collaborates with Cuyahoga Land Bank by providing grant programs, such as those that support neighborhood stabilization and blight removal, which the Land Bank leverages to acquire, demolish and redevelop vacant and abandoned properties.

The post The Power of Partnership: Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Collaborative Approach appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Cuyahoga Land Bank acquires vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties, many of which are located within the City of Cleveland. Vital revitalization work relies on our strong partnerships with the City of Cleveland, inner-ring suburbs and numerous other cities across Cuyahoga County.

Cuyahoga Land Bank and these municipalities share the goals of reducing blight, revitalizing neighborhoods and promoting economic development. This shared vision drives our collaborative efforts. Each city works with the Land Bank to determine the best use for these properties, considering factors like zoning, community needs and development plans.

The City of Cleveland provides funding and resources to support many of the Land Bank’s initiatives. This funding allows the Land Bank to undertake activities like demolition, rehabilitation and new construction. For example, the city recently allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Land Bank for housing revitalization projects in legacy communities. Per state law, the board of directors of the Cuyahoga land Bank has representation from the City of Cleveland to ensure the city has a voice in the Land Bank’s operations.

First Suburbs Consortium of Cuyahoga County works to address the shared challenges facing older, inner-ring suburbs, and they collaborate with the Cuyahoga Land Bank to revitalize neighborhoods by strategically acquiring and redeveloping vacant and blighted properties within their member communities. The Land Bank recently partnered with the Consortium to identify zoning issues in Cleveland’s inner-ring suburbs to make the construction of infill housing more achievable throughout Cuyahoga County by updating, in some cases, turn-of-the-century zoning codes.

The Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund (SRF) is a nationally unique nonprofit aimed at breathing new life into 1,000 acres of neglected real estate in northeast Ohio, catalyzing the creation of 25,000 jobs, supporting neighborhood vitality, building wealth among residents and enhancing environmental sustainability. Read about the SRF’s recent State of Ohio $7.6 million brownfield remediation grant for a critical project in East Glenville and Collinwood HERE.)

Cleveland Neighborhood Progress is a local intermediary organization that supports community development corporations (CDCs) in Cleveland, fostering neighborhood revitalization.  CNP facilitates collaboration between CDCs and the Cuyahoga Land Bank, helping to coordinate redevelopment efforts and ensure that Land Bank projects align with community needs and priorities.

Cleveland Restoration Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the architectural and historical heritage of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. The Restoration Society collaborates with the Cuyahoga Land Bank by providing expertise on historic preservation for properties being redeveloped, and by advocating for the reuse of historically significant structures that the Land Bank acquires. Cuyahoga Land Bank received the Award of Merit for Neighborhood Impact from the Restoration Society for one of its more interesting renovation projects on South Boulevard in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood.  Read about it here.

Cleveland Housing Network (CHN) is a non-profit organization that develops and manages affordable housing options in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. CHN collaborates with the Cuyahoga Land Bank by acquiring and rehabilitating properties from the Land Bank’s inventory, transforming them into quality, affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. The Land Bank has partnered with CHN on many impactful affordable housing projects over the years, including the demolition of a dilapidated YMCA building in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood to make way for a large-scale permanent supportive housing project. Read about it here.

The post The Power of Partnership: Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Collaborative Approach appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Cuyahoga Land Bank directly addresses issues like abandoned housing, tax delinquency and urban decay, which are often barriers to economic growth, through its role as a strategic intermediary in the complex process of reclaiming and repurposing blighted properties. This work is not simply about acquiring vacant land, but rather leveraging properties to drive broader county objectives.

Cuyahoga Land Bank operates within a network of Cuyahoga County entities, collaborating to revitalize neighborhoods and promote economic development. By strategically acquiring and redeveloping these properties, it helps implement the county’s plans for neighborhood revitalization, affordable housing and commercial development.

In essence, Cuyahoga Land Bank is a key tool for implementing the county’s development strategies, and it relies on close cooperation with these various county entities to address complex real estate challenges and achieve sustainable community development.

Here’s a breakdown of our key Cuyahoga County partners.

The Cuyahoga County Department of Development is vital in fostering economic growth and community revitalization. They achieve this through a variety of initiatives, including attracting and retaining businesses, supporting workforce development programs and investing in infrastructure improvements. The Department of Development and Land Bank work together to promote economic revitalization. They coordinate efforts to attract investment, create jobs and improve quality of life in Cuyahoga County, which includes coordinating larger development projects and ensuring that Land Bank properties are used to maximize economic impact.

The Cuyahoga County Office of the Executive, led by County Executive Chris Ronayne, serves as the administrative head of the county government. This office is responsible for managing and operating county departments and agencies, implementing policies and initiatives, and overseeing the county’s budget. Ultimately, the Executive’s office strives to ensure efficient and effective delivery of county services and improve the quality of life for all Cuyahoga County residents. The County Executive plays a direct role, as they (or their designee) hold a position on the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Board of Directors ensuring alignment between the Land Bank’s activities and the county’s overall strategic goals.

The Cuyahoga County Council serves as the legislative branch of Cuyahoga County government, responsible for enacting laws and policies that affect the county. They also oversee the county’s budget, appropriating funds for various county services and initiatives. The County Council also has representation on the Land Bank’s board, providing legislative oversight and ensuring that the Land Bank’s operations are consistent with county policies.They are also involved with the funding of various projects that the Land Bank undertakes.

The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission develops and implements comprehensive plans for the county’s physical development, focusing on land use, transportation and infrastructure. They also provide technical assistance to local governments on planning-related matters, promoting coordinated and sustainable growth. The Planning Commission’s expertise in land use and development is crucial to the Land Bank’s work, and collaboration helps ensure that property redevelopment aligns with broader county planning initiatives. The planning commission also helps to provide information about future planning that can affect land bank decisions.

The Land Bank’s work relies on close collaboration between several county agencies. Because strategic tax foreclosure is crucial for neighborhood stabilization, interagency coordination and data sharing are essential. The skill and dedication of these agencies are vital to community development efforts undertaken by cities, the county, housing organizations and other non-profits.

The Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer is responsible for key functions related to property, including accurate property appraisals, maintaining records of property ownership and transfers, and overseeing the calculation and distribution of property taxes.

The Cuyahoga County Treasurer’s office is primarily responsible for the collection and management of property tax payments.

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office may be involved in real estate matters primarily through prosecuting fraud related to property transactions, handling foreclosures on behalf of the county, or addressing property-related criminal activity.

The Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts maintains records of real estate-related court proceedings, such as foreclosures, evictions and title actions.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Revision hears and decides property owner appeals regarding the valuation of their real estate for tax purposes.

The Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas handles legal disputes involving real estate, including foreclosures, partition actions, quiet title suit, and other property-related civil cases.

The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office carries out court-ordered actions related to real estate, such as serving eviction notices and conducting sheriff’s sales of foreclosed properties.

The post The Power of Partnership: Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Collaborative Approach appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

The HELP Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, recently broke ground on the site of their new greenhouse facility on Shore Center Drive in Euclid. The mission of the HELP Foundation is to assist mentally disabled clients of all ages with day services, summer programming and vocational training. The Foundation will build its greenhouse on a vacant parcel of land next door to the Foundation’s adult day services. Formerly the site of a car wash, the Cuyahoga Land Bank acquired the property through tax foreclosure and donated the vacant lot to the HELP Foundation.

The new greenhouse will be used for vocational training programs preparing clients for outside employment opportunities. It will feature nearly 3,000 square feet of hydroponics and an attached classroom for workplace training when completed. City of Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail, HELP Foundation Board members, and community stakeholders took part in a groundbreaking ceremony at the site in mid-July.

“The Cuyahoga Land Bank was key to successfully obtaining the land for our HELP Harvest Greenhouse,” says Tamara Honkala, President & CEO of HELP.   “They tracked the land though the foreclosure process and facilitated our acquisition of the property.  The Land Bank recognized that our greenhouse program would offer important benefits to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well our community and helped make it happen.”   The Land Bank is pleased to have played a role in this project which is linked to two other initiatives, including a training kitchen and a restaurant, which all together will substantially grow the organization’s capacity to deliver on its mission.

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Ohio’s HHF funds were administered by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) under its Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP). The funds were allocated for foreclosure prevention and neighborhood stabilization efforts in neighborhoods that particularly experienced the negative effects of the crisis.

As of the end of June 2021, the last of the remaining HHF funds were allocated as the program enters the close out period.   Over the past seven years, the Cuyahoga Land Bank demolished a total of 5,091 abandoned and blighted properties using more than $73 million in HHF funds, making a huge positive impact on neighborhoods and the quality of life of Cuyahoga County residents.

A picture says a thousand words, so scroll down to view just a few of the dangerous eyesores demolished by the Cuyahoga Land Bank using NIP/HHF Funds.

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The Avondale project is the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s first new construction project in South Euclid and first partnership with One South Euclid. The development team included builder Dommus Construction of Solon.

The attractive 4-bedroom, 2.5-bath home has an open floor plan with an oversized great room and chef’s dream kitchen, including a walk-in pantry.  Upstairs, this lovely home features a convenient laundry room and a master bedroom with a walk-in closet and en suite bath.

In 2013, the City of South Euclid requested that the Land Bank demolish the home that previously occupied this lot as a nuisance abatement demolition. Later, the property went through tax foreclosure and the vacant lot came into the Land Bank’s inventory. This infill project aims to bring vacant lots like this back into productive use and encourage investment by others in the community.

“With the rising demand for residential real estate and more people interested in new home construction, we saw an opportunity to take steps to modernize the housing stock of a mature suburb like South Euclid,” says Dennis Roberts, Director of Programs and Property Management for the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “One South Euclid was a great partner in this project, and we are very excited about the results.”

“Touring this beautiful new home, I couldn’t help but think of the old, abandon community eyesore that once stood here,” says Jim O’Toole, a long-time resident of Avondale Road and ex-officio member of the One South Euclid Board of Directors. “Our neighbors came together in a beautification effort of this property, but it just wasn’t to be. With the help of the Cuyahoga Land Bank, we now see the best possible outcome for our neighborhood, and we are thankful.”

The Cuyahoga Land Bank and One South Euclid will soon break ground on its second new home collaboration on Wilmington Road.

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