The Dream Neighborhood Presentation

8/20/2019 The Dream Neighborhood Presentation

1/16

The Dream NeighborhoodBUILDING AND STRENGTHENING A DIVERSE COMMUNITY


2/16

Thomas Jefferson International Newcomers cade

• International Newcomers Academy

• Offers 19 different language services

• Serves 23 nationalities

• Only school with this model in

Northeast Ohio

• After hours adult ESL courses

• Central to our target area

• Provides Stability immigrants and

refugees

• Pre-K to 12th grade


3/16

Clark-Fulton and Stockyard NeighborhoCommunity Assets:

• 850 manufacturing jobs

• 2nd district police department

• Multiple schools, private and public

• Clark Recreation Center & Salvation Army

• Affordable housing

• Affordable commercial space

• Exciting Developments• La Villa

• Hildebrandt

• Gypsy Brewery

• Community organizations

• Ward 14 and 15 received 33 Refugee families in 2014

Access to Public Transportation:

• Clark Avenue:

• 15 east and west bound sto

• 9 within the Dream N

• Currently hosts routes 45, 4

• Provides connections to rou

• 79A and B

• 20

• 31

•

51

• Rapid Station located on W 65th a

• 1.3 miles from Thomas Jeff


4/16

The Plan◦ Thomas Jefferson as the center of a community that welcomes refugees

◦ 3 Elements

◦ Social Services and Community Inclusion

◦ Refugee Related Organizations

◦ Medical Organization

◦ Social Services

◦ Residents

◦ Housing

◦Create housing opportunities for refugees

◦ Reduce vacancy of existing housing stock

◦ Economic Development

◦ Low interest loans for new small businesses

◦ Directly addressing vacant commercial space

Refugee Garden


5/16

Social Services – Refugee ResettlemRefugee service related non profits involved in the creation of this neighborhood

◦ Catholic Charities, ISC, and U.S. Together at the table

◦ Working with landlords to find decent and safe housing

◦ Sponsoring a Work Group to address issues and needs

◦ Creating an opportunity for collaboration with other organizations

◦ Working to create an environment that supports the mission of refugeeresettlement organizations


6/16

Social Services – Providing basic neeThe Clark Recreation Center as a community Center for

◦ Providing community supporting services

◦ English as a Second Language

◦ Health and Wellness Promotion

◦ Educational Services

◦ Financial Literacy

◦ Ad Hoc Training services

◦ Event and gathering space

◦ MetroHealth and NFP areparticipating in providing services

◦ Engaging RTA to increase public transportation


7/16

Connecting Residents with NewcomInclusion of residents in community meetings

◦ Inclusion of refugees and residents

◦ International Neighborhood – Welcoming Wagon

◦ Engagement with:

◦ West 58th Street church of god

◦ St. Rocco’s

◦ POPCE

◦ St. Bonafice

◦ Gardening Opportunities

◦ 10 existing Gardens

◦ 150 possible gardens and side lot expansions


8/16

Housing Within

½ Mile of

Thomas Jefferson

• 145 vacant properties

• 57 active Condemnations

• 53 active foreclosures

Vacant and Condemned Properties Around Thomas Jefferson


9/16

Housing Rehabilitation◦ Since 2011, DSCDO and SCFBCDO have rehabbed 178 vacant homes

◦ Goals:

◦ Work with City and private owners to demolish 57 homes

◦ Acquire 20 vacant properties for rehabilitation

◦ Proposed Housing Program:

◦ Developers will include both private and non-profit developers

◦ Each property will be transferred to prospective developers (including non-profits)through a competitive bidding process

◦ Developers will have 270 days to rehab the property

◦ A restrictive covenant on the deed will require property owner to market units torefugee resettlement organizations.

◦ Refugee resettlement organizations will provide servicesto help landlords and tenants communicate more clearly


10/16

Demolition StrategyDemolition is key to stabilizing housing conditions

◦ As of June, 42 properties have been demolished in Ward 14

◦ 13 Properties within the Dream Neighborhood

◦ Methods to Achieve Demolition:

◦ Working with Building and Housing to prioritize demolitions

◦ County Land Bank Demolitions

◦ Private Demolitions (Code Enforcement)

◦ Banks, LLCs, and Individuals


11/16

Economic DevelopmentClark Avenue

◦ 10 Vacant Commercial Storefronts

◦ Vacant ground floor local retail

◦ 40,000 sq. ft.

◦ Non-ground floor vacant space

◦ 50,000 sq. ft.

◦ What we want to see:

◦ Day Cares

◦ Grocery Store

◦ Restaurants

◦ Coffee Shops

◦ Bike Shop / Co-op


12/16

Refugee EntrepreneursAccording to a study released in 2012

◦ Refugees are likely to start a business that is successful

◦ In the past decade, refugees have started 38 local businesses

◦ Since 2002, refugees have contributed $45 million to our local economy

◦ Refugees give a return on investment that is greater than 10:1 to the local economy

◦ Local economical impact study can be found at rsccleveland.org

◦ According to Brian Upton:◦ "They are not takers. They are not a drain on our community. They are very entrepreneurial.”


13/16

Economic DevelopmentCity of Cleveland and ECDI

◦ The City of Cleveland has pledged $150,000

◦ This money will be used through ECDI

◦ Low interest loans for small businesses

◦ Used in the Dream Neighborhood

◦ Job Training Opportunities

◦ Contractors◦ Connecting residents with local businesses

◦ Training organizations getting involved with refugees


14/16

Cleveland 2020 Plan Housing Goals:

Decent and Affordable Housing

Creation of affordable DSS rental units for refugees and other residents

Rehabilitation

Restoring a minimum of 20 homes to productive use

Code Enforcement

Completion of 2 Concentrated Inspection Areas and using code enforcement to increase compliance

Focus is on absentee landlords while offering assistance and connecting residents with resources

Competitive Places Building upon the diversity of an area and the location of a multi-lingual school to support refugees

This will set the Clark-Fulton and Stockyard neighborhood apart from any other Neighborhood in NEO and spur


15/16

Cleveland 2020 PlanEconomic Development

◦ Quality of Life

◦ Clark avenue – new businesses will support the community

Retail

◦ Niche Marketing

◦ Focus on diversity of neighborhood and diversity of incoming refugees

◦ La Borincana

Preservation◦ Economic Reuse

◦ Clark Rec

◦ Ceska Hall

◦ Joseph & Feiss Building


16/16

Questions?

Documents

The Dream Neighborhood Presentation