At the end of a crooked path littered with broken glass, a boarded-up home sits waiting to be loved. Windows are missing, shingles are falling off of the roof and the front porch appears to be caving in. Despite the bleak conditions, hope still resides inside.
Hope may be difficult for some to see, but the picture is clear through the eyes of John Habat, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity.
With help from the city of Cleveland, Habitat’s vision to rehab 12 vacant homes formerly owned by Buckeye Shaker Square Development in Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood has been set in motion. Instead of demolishing the abandoned properties, the city of Cleveland is facilitating the transfer of the homes to Habitat so that the nonprofit organization may assist local residents in realizing their dream of homeownership.
Twenty-five percent of Habitat homeowners come from public housing. Habitat connects people who earn 30% to 80% of the area’s median income, $22,800 to $60,800 for a family of four, to homeownership providing zero-interest mortgages, training and partnership.
Since 1987, Habitat has brought together more than 200 sponsor groups and 83,000 volunteers to help connect almost 300 families with more than 1,000 children to affordable homeownership. In 2019, Habitat had more than 90,600 volunteer hours donated by more than 3,200 volunteers. Habitat engages people of all faiths to eliminate substandard housing.
“So often, public housing has become a multigenerational dead end,” Habat says. “Some families know nothing but public housing. Habitat believes that story can change. There is a path from public housing to homeownership. We are offering an opportunity for transformation not only for families, but also for neighborhoods.
“Many families are prepared for homeownership. There are so many, we cannot possibly meet the demand.”
With the Buckeye-Woodhill Choice Neighborhoods Initiative Planning Grant, also known as the #WoodhillUpNext, taking shape, Habitat, is working with Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) to encourage public housing residents to start the homeownership application process. More than 30 preapplications from current tenants at Woodhill Estates have been obtained since outreach began in February.
“Habitat helps our residents realize their goal of homeownership,” says Matt Schmidt, CMHA senior real estate planning administrator. “Without its efforts and programs, it would be significantly harder.
“It helps to eliminate barriers that some residents face when trying to reach their goal of homeownership, whether it’s financial or the upkeep of a home. The services Habitat provides are invaluable to our residents.”
Habitat has been working in the Buckeye neighborhood since 2016. In that time, it has rehabbed 29 houses, started construction on 14 new houses and assisted more than 230 existing residents with minor or modest exterior repairs.
This year, it will continue its revitalization efforts by constructing 12 new houses on vacant lots on Hulda Avenue, one street south of its work on Grandview Avenue. To date, Habitat has invested more than $5 million into the neighborhood. It plans to invest $15 million by 2024. Habitat estimates that the cost to fully rehab the 12 houses is approximately $1 million; the city of Cleveland has committed to significant financial assistance.
“Owning your own home allows families to grow equity more than they ever have before,” Habat says. “Having your own home enables you to pay for college for your kids, home improvements later on and gives your children and grandchildren stability.
“People often pay more to live in public housing than they do to own a Habitat home. While public housing construction is 100% government funded, Habitat homes are about 20% government funded. Habitat is the clear bargain when it comes to use of tax dollars.”
While Habitat understands its mission to provide safe, affordable homeownership opportunities to underserved families in the Buckeye-Woodhill area will help transform a small portion of the area, it also understands it cannot make a significant impact without the help of other partners, such as CMHA and the city of Cleveland.
“We are seeing partners and area residents come together to reach common goals,” Schmidt says. “Everything we are doing is a direct result of meeting the immediate needs and goals the residents would like to see in their neighborhood for the next five to 10 years. It’s wonderful to see how this neighborhood is evolving and how those goals are being met.”
According to Schmidt, CMHA together with the city of Cleveland, Community Builders, City Architecture and Cleveland Metropolitan School District, is leading a major transformation plan of Woodhill Homes and the surrounding Buckeye-Woodhill community.
The transformation plan includes new housing, public space and programing for a thriving community. The transformation plan was funded through a competitive 2017 Choice Neighbors Planning Grant awarded to CMHA from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The plan has been adopted by the city of Cleveland’s planning commission and accepted by HUD.
In December, CMHA and the city of Cleveland were co-applicants in a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant application for $35 million from HUD. In 2019, #WoodhillUpNext’s proposal was one of five finalists. Ultimately, it was not selected.
This year, there is renewed hope #WoodhillUpNext will be the top pick for the Choice Neighborhoods grant. Regardless of the outcome, the Choice Neighborhoods partners and Habitat are committed to moving forward to create a community where hope not only survives, but also thrives.