The Cuyahoga Land Bank actively advances its mission to support community goals, and the recent opening of a new recovery home in Cleveland is yet another success story.
Lavender Place is the Woodrow Project’s fourth post-Recovery Housing site for women in Cuyahoga County. The Woodrow Project, an organization accredited as a certified Ohio Recovery Housing associate, provides safe, stable and supportive environments to women over the age of 18 who are in recovery and women who have completed their recovery and are living in mutual supportive housing.
The Woodrow Project partnered with the Cuyahoga Land Bank to secure a grant from the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County to renovate a vacant five-bedroom house in the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s inventory and provide support programs for its residents. Though not a recovery home, it is a home for congregate living.
After significant renovations, Lavender Place opened its doors in March 2017 and is now home to five women. Residents receive housing and assistance in developing life and employment skills.
“Our housing is focused on wellness and the whole person – not just their past addiction,” says Erin Helms, Executive Director of the Woodrow Project. “We help these women meet their full potential while enhancing independence and physical well-being.”
“The Cuyahoga Land Bank is a true partner in our efforts,” says Helms. “Vatreisha [Nyemba, the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Compliance and Program Development Manager] was extremely helpful in making this project a reality – beginning with the grant process, all the way through the renovation.”
“Studies show that residents in peer-run post-recovery homes have a smoother transition after treatment than individuals who return to old living arrangements,” says Gus Frangos, President and General Counsel for the Cuyahoga Land Bank. “We are committed to working with groups like the Woodrow Project that provide a safe, secure environment for a lasting recovery.”