Amid maintenance grants, incentive programs and ongoing street projects, the City of Brooklyn has put forth a lot of effort in keeping its neighborhoods and housing stock updated and attractive for current and prospective residents.
“You don’t want to move to a street that has boarded-up windows, overgrown shrubs and peeling paint everywhere,” says Mike Greer, building official for the City of Brooklyn. “Anything that we can do at the city level to ensure that houses are properly maintained helps create that sense of community and pride in where you live and, in turn, translates to people wanting to move to the community.”
Greer, Mike Henry, vice president of Chagrin Valley Engineering; Jeremy Rowan, economic development director; and Mayor Ron Van Kirk discuss the programs and incentives the City of Brooklyn has put in place to make the community a desirable place to call home.
Maintenance Grants
Awarded to the City of Brooklyn from Cuyahoga County, the Community Development Supplemental Grant includes $50,000 for Brooklyn residents to put toward exterior home improvements. Brooklyn’s City Council historically has agreed to match that amount dollar for dollar, creating an available fund of $100,000.
“When someone looks to move into a new house, one of the first things they look at are the neighbor’s houses around them,” Mayor Van Kirk says. “So, it’s important that each house is maintained, as it benefits the entire neighborhood. Right now, the vast majority of people in Brooklyn take great care of their homes, and we are working to assist those who need some help in doing so.”
The grant covers items such as new roofs, new windows, exterior paint or siding and concrete repair. The maximum an applicant can receive is $3,000.
“If a homeowner decides to move in a year or two, those improvements will increase the value of their house so that it’s attractive to prospective buyers,” Greer says.
While the grant application process has closed for 2023, Greer says it’s more than likely that the city will run the program again next year, with the stipulation that if a resident receives a grant award the year prior, they are not eligible the following year.
“That way we can help spread the money around to help as many Brooklyn residents as possible,” Greer says.
Van Kirk adds that dozens of residents have benefitted from the grant in previous years.
The application process typically begins in February or March and runs for about six weeks. More information on how to apply can be found at BrooklynOhio.gov
“The most important thing for residents is to understand that we’re not trying to be punitive but more so preemptive when we see maintenance issues that could cause a larger problem,” Greer says. “If you do the little things early, you can typically avoid the bigger ticket items down the road.”
CRA Program
Authorized by the state of Ohio, the Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) program allows communities to abate property tax in order to encourage community and economic development.
The program covers both commercial and residential improvements.
“If you make large investments to your house that increase your taxable value, you’re able to get a certain percentage abated through the program,” Rowan says. “The program provides an incentive for residents to invest in their home.”
To qualify for the program, residents only need to complete the project and attain the proper permits. From there, the building department pulls the permit data from its database and reaches out to the residents who completed those projects to ask if they would like to take advantage of the program.
If residents agree, the city advances them through the application process.
“It’s really simple, but surprisingly, not everyone will respond,” Rowan says. “It’s even easier than applying for the maintenance grant. The city has really gone out of its way to make sure there are incentives in place for residents that want to invest in their homes.”
Street Projects
This year also proved to be a big one for street improvement projects.
“It’s valuable for residents to see that the city is using its financial resources to make the community a better place to live,” Henry says.
One such project was the $1.5 million pavement replacement program, to be completed by the end of 2023, that includes point repairs on the streets of Archmere Avenue, Elizabeth Lane, Brookwood Drive, West 66th St., Traymore Avenue and Forest Edge Drive.
“The city invested several years ago in a pavement evaluation scoring process that provides a system to evaluate the pavement condition of roadways throughout the city,” Henry says.
Other projects planned within the city include:
• Lane widening at the intersection of Tiedeman and Memphis, which will be completed in 2024. This project will allow trucks to easily go into a new turning lane, improving access to I-480 and enhancing traffic flow at this important intersection.
• Landscape improvements at the I-480 and Tiedeman Road interchange. The second phase of trees and shrub installations is planned for 2024.
• Aesthetic improvements to the Tiedeman Road bridge over I-480 will take place in 2024.
• A water line replacement on Southwood Drive.
Additionally, the city is planning to make streetscape improvements on Brookpark Road following the completion of the state’s resurfacing project.
“We will be adding grass, trees and other improvements to make the area more aesthetically pleasing,” Henry says.
