Cleveland faith communities step into housing
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Six congregations on Cleveland's East Side are getting seed money to help turn church land into affordable housing.
Why it matters: Churches have long been among Cleveland's most durable neighborhood anchors, and many of them own vacant or underused properties in communities where affordable housing is scarce.
Driving the news: The national nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners selected six churches for its Faith-Based Development Initiative, which is expanding to Cuyahoga County for the first time.
- Each will receive technical assistance and a $50,000 pre-development grant to explore housing projects on or near church-owned land.
- The money can be used for things like zoning reviews, market studies, feasibility work or early design help.
Zoom in: The cohort includes Antioch Baptist Church, Church of the Reform Church of Love, Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, Open Door Missionary Baptist Church, Shiloh Baptist Church and Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
By the numbers: Together, the churches could leverage more than 10 acres of land with the potential to create up to 100 affordable homes, per Enterprise.
- Proposed projects including senior housing, mixed-income rentals, reentry and workforce housing and affordable homeownership opportunities.
What they're saying: "For two decades, Enterprise's Faith-Based Development Initiative has supported a growing number of houses of worship interested in creating housing for their communities," Ayonna Blue Donald, Enterprise's Ohio market leader, said in a statement.
- "I'm thrilled we can bring this initiative to Cuyahoga County and look forward to working with our new cohort to help address our region's pressing need for more affordable housing."
Between the lines: Signal Cleveland reports that all six churches are Black congregations. In the 1970s and 1980s, when the East Side was marked by demolition and disinvestment, churches like these were often among the only entities building housing for lower-income and senior residents.
What's next: The churches will receive continued coaching from Enterprise and industry professionals as they move forward with their developments.