Cleveland to Get 65 New Near West Side Homes

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CHN Housing Partners (CHN) announced it received an Ohio Low Income Housing Tax Credit (OLIHTC) award and a 4-percent Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) for its planned construction of Near West Side Homes.

Comprised of 65 single-family homes in the Clark-Fulton and Stockyards neighborhoods of Cleveland’s West Side, this development will provide an affordable pathway to homeownership for residents at or below 60 percent area median income (AMI).

“We are proud to bring 65 new homes to Cleveland’s West Side, and we thank OHFA for their continued support of CHN’s Lease Purchase Program,” said Kevin Nowak, president and CEO of CHN Housing Partners in a written statement.

As an “infill” housing development, the homes will be scattered among existing vacant lots rather than be concentrated at any one location. Near West Side Homes is expected to close financing and begin construction in the fall of 2027.

“Homeownership is one of the biggest ways for families to increase generational wealth and leverage equity into future investments, like education,” Nowak added. “We are excited to work alongside 65 families as they become homeowners.”

Near West Side Homes will be a part of CHN’s nationally recognized Lease Purchase Program, a 15-year pathway to homeownership. To date, over 1,800 families have taken title to their homes through the Lease Purchase Program.

The program, with recent, similar developments like Parkside and Hope Homes on the city’s East Side, combines wrap-around services including financial coaching and education with affordable rent to empower families to become homeowners.

“I am thrilled that CHN will build 65 brand-new lease-purchase homes in Ward 14,” said Councilwoman Jasmin Santana. “One of my goals has always been to increase homeownership opportunities for Ward 14 residents and give more families the opportunity to build long-term stability and generational wealth.”

“I am grateful for OHFA’s investment in our community, and I look forward to the day we can celebrate 65 families making the transition from renters to homeowners,” Santana continued.

Near West Side Homes will consist of 57 three-bedroom two-story homes and eight three-bedroom one-story accessible homes. The homes will revitalize vacant lots formerly held by the City of Cleveland Land Bank.

As with its predecessor infill housing developments on the city’s East Side, CHN will act as the development’s general contractor and City Architecture will serve as the architect. Both are Cleveland-based companies.

Near West Side Homes was originally envisioned to build 35 infill homes for $13 million in the Ohio City and Tremont neighborhoods, along with Clark-Fulton. But it was refocused on lower-income neighborhoods to the south.

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