The Land Bank’s impact can be seen in virtually every neighborhood in Cuyahoga County. The innovative approach we take to our work has made the Land Bank a valuable tool in our region’s economic development efforts and in revitalizing neighborhoods, creating affordable housing and improving the environment. In honor of our anniversary, we’ve put together this rundown of some of the Land Bank’s favorite and impactful projects. Next up Ð a look at some of our favorite home renovation and new home construction projects.

Superior Home Renovations

Cuyahoga Land Bank’s innovative renovation programs provide affordable housing opportunities and encourage responsible home ownership. Whether through in-house renovations, sales to responsible homeowners and rehabbers, or collaborations with Community Development Corporations (CDCs), hundreds of distressed properties in Cuyahoga County are renovated and restored to the tax rolls each year.

Home Renovation in Cleveland Heights

A three-bedroom Colonial-style home.

Home Renovation in Parma

A four-bedroom Colonial-style home.

Home Renovation in Shaker Heights

A Three-bedroom Colonial-style home.

Home Renovation in Cleveland’s Lee-Harvard Neighborhood

A three-bedroom Cape Cod-style home.

Renovations Through Our Deed-in-Escrow Program

Chinester Conaway purchased and completely renovated this nearly condemned three-bedroom ranch-style home in the Village of North Randall. Read the full story HERE.

Timothy Austin purchased and renovated this East Cleveland home from top to bottom. Read the full story HERE.

New Home Builds

As demand for new housing in emerging and middle neighborhoods increases, Cuyahoga Land Bank finds ways to create marketable projects on smaller infill sites throughout the County. Since debuting its first two new-build homes on long-vacant lots in Cleveland’s Clark/Scranton Avenue neighborhood in 2018, the Land Bank has committed millions of dollars to develop hundreds of new homes in the city of Cleveland and several inner-ring suburbs.

[su_image_carousel source=”media: 21587,21595,21594,21593,21590,21589,21588,21586,21585″ slides_style=”minimal” controls_style=”light” crop=”5:4″ columns=”2″ align=”center” link=”lightbox” target=”self” autoplay=”2″ outline=”no”]

Our blog is filled with even more inspiring stories and project highlights. We invite you to explore our successes and heartwarming transformations HERE.

The post Cuyahoga Land Bank Celebrates 15 Years of Impactful Work: Giving Buildings, Homes & Spaces New Life Ð Part II appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Boris Gringauz has been buying and renovating Cuyahoga Land Bank Homes for years. As owner of Monocle Go, a full-service property management and residential real estate construction and consulting firm in Cleveland, he appreciates the opportunity to buy homes needing a little TLC at a bargain price from the Land Bank. “The first property I redeveloped I purchased from the Cuyahoga Land Bank in 2015,” says Boris.

Boris, who moved to Cleveland in 2011 to work in corporate finance, is finishing his most recent home renovation Ð a three-bedroom, one-bath Cape Cod-style home in Maple Heights he purchased through the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Deed-in-Escrow program, in which the deed to the property is held “in escrow” by the Land Bank until all renovations are complete and have passed a final inspection.

Boris and his team at Monocle Go performed all the renovations, including installing a new roof, all new windows, and new HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems. “We also completely renovated the kitchen and bathroom,” says Boris. “It is now a true gourmet kitchen with beautiful cabinetry and light fixtures. There’s a large basement and backyard. It’s like a brand-new house!”

Boris plans to list the renovated house for sale in the hopes of selling it to a first-time home buyer. He is proud to have played a role in revitalizing the community and creating a beautiful home for a new family to enjoy.

“I would absolutely recommend the Land Bank’s Deed-in-Escrow Program,” says Boris. “But I caution people not to get in over their heads with the renovations. Sometimes bigger renovation jobs should be left to a professional.”

Boris’ story is a testament to the power of renovation and the potential of land bank properties. With a bit of vision and a lot of hard work, these neglected homes can be transformed into vibrant and valuable assets for the community.

Take a look at some before and after renovation photos.

[su_custom_gallery source=”media: 19606,19607,19609,19605,19601,19608,19610,19612,19611,19613,19602,19604,19603″ limit=”49″ link=”lightbox” width=”300″ height=”300″ title=”never”]

The post From Vacant to Vibrant appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Timothy Austin watched for nearly 15 years as a house across from his home in East Cleveland passed from owner to owner, each one leaving it in a worse state than the last. It fell into disrepair and finally foreclosure. When he noticed one day that the house was now part of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s inventory, he jumped at the chance to buy it.

As a former East Cleveland City Councilman, Austin was familiar with the Cuyahoga Land Bank and its work in the community. A retired veteran who runs his own small construction company, he knew the house was ripe for renovation. “It was a shame how bad the house got,” says Austin. “There were huge holes in the roof and so many raccoons. Someone even stole the entire sandstone porch off the house.”

With plans to move his mother into the home, Austin set out to renovate the house from top to bottom. He replaced the HVAC system and a lot of the ductwork in the house, installed a new driveway and built a new garage. He updated the kitchen and bath and painted the entire interior and exterior of the home. And, of course, he added a lovely new front porch.

“Working with the Land Bank on this house was so easy, and it worked out very well for me,” he says. “Regular inspections kept me on task, and the inspector was more like an advisor. He checked in regularly to make sure everything was going well and offered advice throughout the process.”

Austin is thrilled with the renovations and that he had a hand in revitalizing the vacant and blighted house. “There are lots of things that make me happy about this project, but knowing this corner in the neighborhood will have life in it again means a lot to me.”

As he puts the finishing touches on the house and awaits final inspection, Austin admits he is interested in potentially buying another Land Bank home to renovate. “I would do it again. I would also recommend the Deed-in-Escrow program to anyone wanting to learn, grow, and succeed. This program can change lives.”

[su_custom_gallery source=”media: 18140,18141,18142,18139″ limit=”49″ link=”lightbox” width=”300″ height=”300″ title=”never”]

The post Bringing Life Back into the Neighborhood appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

A community development professional tries his hand at renovating a house.

Tom Stone knew precisely the type of house he needed for his first home rehabilitation investment project, a hidden gem with solid potential. And he knew just where to find it Ð the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “I worked closely with the Land Bank through the years,” says Stone, who served for over 22 years as the Executive Director of Mt. Pleasant NOW Development Corporation, addressing housing needs on Cleveland’s east side before forming his own economic and community development consulting company in 2018. “I knew I could get a house for a fairly low cost so I could invest more on a quality renovation.”

Stone found the perfect three-bedroom, one-bath Colonial in Cleveland’s North Collinwood neighborhood. He purchased the home through the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Deed-in-Escrow program, in which purchasers must renovate properties to mutually agreed-upon standards and specifications. The deed to the property is kept in escrow until the renovation is satisfactorily completed. In Stone’s case, there was much work to be done.

He removed a wall to create an open floor plan, completely gutted the kitchen and bathroom, replaced all the electrical and HVAC systems, installed new windows, and added fresh paint and carpet throughout the home. “The entire interior is basically like a new house,” he says. “I wanted to ensure the new owners don’t have to worry about any major systems for many years.”

With plans to buy, renovate and sell more homes, Stone, who was born and raised in Cleveland, also sees an opportunity to give back. “We will introduce an employment training component with the next project,” he says. Through the pilot training program called Nehemiah, participants will learn many hard and soft skills that will allow them to prepare for jobs in property maintenance and renovation work. “Participants will not be learning a trade like an electrician or plumber but will learn a lot about finishing work Ð hanging drywall, mounting light fixtures, and installing windows. These are significant skills that can help individuals get better jobs that pay a living wage. We will also teach soft skills like the importance of showing up on time, a proper work ethic and how to handle conflict. Not only will we be able to return these properties to productive use, but also help people gain employable skills and a higher income.” Gus Frangos, President of the Land Bank said “Tom is just the kind of socially conscious investor we are looking for. We look forward to Tom’s next project.”

Stone will be keeping an eye on the Land Bank’s inventory for his next project. “This renovation was a learning experience for me,” admits Stone. “It was very beneficial to start with a realistic “spec” plan of renovations to be made, and the rehabilitation specialist at the Cuyahoga Land Bank was available to make recommendations or steer me in the right direction if I had a challenge. Our goals are the same. We want to create good-quality housing opportunities.”

Here are some before and after photos of Stone’s renovation project.

[su_image_carousel source=”media: 16275,16274,16273,16263,16262,16268,16266,16269,16265,16272,16270,16276,16280,16278,16288,16291,16290,16285,16286,16293,16292,16283,16282″ slides_style=”minimal” controls_style=”light” crop=”5:4″ columns=”2″ align=”center” link=”lightbox” target=”self” autoplay=”2″ outline=”no”]

The post A Man With a Renovation Plan appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

Our innovative home renovation programs come with a realistic renovation plan.

Buying an older property and renovating it into your dream home or a moneymaker is appealing to many people. We’ve all seen the popular home renovation shows and recognize any “fixer-upper” comes with potential costly hidden risks, and it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into. Buying a house in need of renovation from the Cuyahoga Land Bank can lessen that risk.

The Cuyahoga Land Bank sells properties needing renovation to qualified owner-occupants and professional rehabilitation contractors/investors. The Land Bank makes buying a fixer-upper an easy-to-follow process. More than 44 savvy home buyers have taken advantage of our innovative renovation programs since 2020 and a whopping 1,150 since 2009.

The Land Bank’s  Deed-in-Escrow Program  allows a qualified owner-occupant or investor to buy a home for a modest purchase price based on an agreement to make certain renovations to the property, typically within four months. Our staff first works collaboratively with the buyer to create a realistic written renovation plan (“the spec”) that meets a set of established  Housing Quality Standards.  Once a purchaser enters into an agreement with the Land Bank, the title/deed to the home is then held in escrow until the renovations are completed.

The  Deed-in-Escrow Owner-Occupant Improvement Plus Program  offers assistance exclusively to owner-occupant buyers in successfully renovating homes to live in. The Cuyahoga County Housing Program funds this program. For certain eligible properties, the Cuyahoga Land Bank will make substantial improvements to the house, including HVAC replacement, electrical re-wiring, plumbing, or exterior work such as roofing, siding or asphalt. Single-family homes may be eligible for up to $25,000 in assistance, and two-family homes may be eligible for up to $50,000.

Ready to consider a home renovation? Find important program eligibility details HERE and check out all available Land Bank properties HERE.

The post Buying a Home to Renovate Can be Risky appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.

We get asked all the time to describe the typical buyer for our home renovation program.  The short answer is, those buying land bank homes each have their own stories.  In fact, a very diverse group of rehabbers in search of the right fixer-upper have found their way to the Cuyahoga Land Bank.  While the idea of taking on the renovation of a vacant and abandoned house sounds daunting to many, more than 1,102 people jumped into the DIY renovation waters and purchased a house to renovate from us over the last 10 years.   Here are a few of our favorite Cuyahoga Land Bank buyers that have re-invested in formerly abandoned properties.

Michael Rubin Sr. and Michael Rubin Jr., a father and son duo, completed most of the renovation work themselves on this cozy home by counting on family and friends with experience to lend a helping hand. Convinced his son was wasting money paying rent every month with nothing to show for it, the father teamed with his son to purchase and renovate a house from the Cuyahoga Land Bank, just doors away from the elder Rubins’ house in Cleveland’s Lee-Seville neighborhood. The result? Lots of father/son bonding, practical experience gained and one awesome transformation!

First-time homeowner Bridgette Newell bought her two-bedroom one-bath fixer-upper in Bedford from the Cuyahoga Land Bank after extensive online real estate searches. Vacant and blighted for years and once tentatively slated for demolition, Bridgette jumped right in, completing extensive renovations to this well-located home just steps away from a municipal park. She loves her spacious home and is especially proud she was able to purchase it outright without the burden of a long-term mortgage.

Realtor Ryan DeLuca paved his own way to homeownership when he spotted a hidden gem in the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s inventory. It was a lot of work fixing up his two-bedroom, one-bath bungalow on a well-kept street in Euclid, but well worth the effort. He compares the completely renovated interior of the home to that of a newly constructed home. While currently residing at the house, his future plans include converting it into an investment property.

The post No Such Thing as a Typical Land Bank Buyer appeared first on Cuyahoga Land Bank.