July 29, 2020 [Plain Dealer]
EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Officials from several Cuyahoga County housing groups broke ground Monday for a 39-unit complex for senior citizens at 14028 Euclid Ave.
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority officials hope to have the three-story building open by July.
CMHA was joined in the project and the groundbreaking by officials from the Cuyahoga Land Bank, East Cleveland, Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, which are part of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga neighborhood stabilization consortium.
The land bank, which was the lead agency in the project, helped secure $41 million from the U.S. Department and Urban Housing Development program called Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2, according to Bill Whitney, the land bank’s chief operating officer.
“That $41 million was one of the largest grants awarded by NSP2,” said Katherine Bulava, a spokeswoman for the Cuyahoga Consortium. “The federal government has given better grants to cities that have partnered together like ours.”
CMHA is using $5.3 million of that grant to build the senior citizens complex on CMHA-owned vacant land.
Whitney said total cost – figuring in other agency costs with private sources – is about $9.5 million.
Jeffery K. Patterson, acting CEO for the CMHA, said his agency was thrilled to be involved with the project.
“We were asked to assist with the low-income component,” said Patterson. “This project is an excellent opportunity for us to give back to an area that is in need of good housing.”
East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton agreed, saying the strong partnership of the Cuyahoga Consortium will help revitalize his community.
Groundbreaking for a second building for seniors — called the Lee Road Project — is to occur Monday in the Union-Miles neighborhood, Whitney said. The size of the building will be similar to the one in East Cleveland, and will also cost about $9.5 million.