The Cuyahoga Land Bank hit another major milestone in March as it demolished its 9,000th blighted structure in Cuyahoga County since forming in 2009. The building was on East 126th Street in Cleveland’s Larchmere neighborhood. Our friend the “Demosaurus” stopped by… Read more ›
Transparency builds confidence in our work! We pride ourselves on our earnest compliance with Ohio Public Records and Open Meetings laws, collectively known as the “Sunshine Laws.” Sarah Norman, Document Support Specialist, and her team of diligent records and document… Read more ›
The Ohio Land Bank Association, an organized voice for Ohio’s county land banks, met virtually in March with fellow county land bankers, municipal governments, community development groups and those interested in county land bank work. More than 100 participants joined… Read more ›
Dormant factories, closed gas stations, obsolete warehouses, and other types of vacant and abandoned properties have long plagued many of Cuyahoga’s inner-ring suburbs. These abandoned, blighted properties associate with crime, environmental contamination and plunging property values. Each year, the Cuyahoga… Read more ›
Sarah Drab Presser Environmental Properties Specialist Date of HireOctober 2018 EducationBachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies Describe yourself in three words.Motivated, Trustworthy, Passionate What is your favorite part of your work?Seeing the huge impact we are making in our communities… Read more ›
It wasn’t that long ago the idea of a modular home would bring up images of a flimsily-built, cookie-cutter dwelling. That is certainly not the case today! In partnership with Unibilt Industries, the Cuyahoga Land Bank broke ground last September… Read more ›
Until we came to own them! The Cuyahoga Land Bank often acts as a developer itself and completes renovations of homes in its inventory. Many of these homes require significant renovations, and we work to bring these distressed to the… Read more ›
Cuyahoga Land Bank Homes performs quality home renovations that include modern amenities and updated major systems that make the homes move-in ready. Here we share a collection of stunning before-and-after-kitchen makeovers that are sure to inspire your own kitchen transformation.… Read more ›
Although similar in name and perceived purpose, Land Banks and Community Land Trusts are entirely different entities. Land banking is the practice of aggregating parcels of land for future sale or development. A Land Bank typically intervenes to resolve back… Read more ›
When you think of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD), you probably just think of wastewater and that monthly bill that comes in the mail. But there is much more to the work of the Sewer District than most… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank is in a unique position to take vacant and abandoned land, some of which may be hard to develop like wetlands or other challenged property, and take advantage of land conservation opportunities using various available conservation… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank is pleased to announce City of Lakewood Mayor Meghan George’s appointment to the Cuyahoga Land Bank Board of Directors. We look forward to the Mayor’s leadership and working together to continue our impactful work.
In December, County Councilman Dan Brady retired from the County Council after an illustrious and productive career as a public servant. Beginning as a Cleveland City Councilman in the 1980s and then serving in the Ohio General Assembly, Dan finished… Read more ›
On November 20th, Cuyahoga Land Bank staff, public officials and neighborhood residents watched in awe as two modular homes were set on vacant lots in Maple Heights. The houses, manufactured in Southwest Ohio by Unibilt Custom Homes, were transported to… Read more ›
Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity dedicated their 13th house of 2020 in mid-November. The house, located on Wilmore Avenue in Euclid, is now home to Lakeesha, a 42-year-old Regional Transit Authority (RTA) worker. “I appreciate all the good, hard, quality… Read more ›
There are many ways to help boost your home’s comfort and long-term value while keeping your energy bills in check. Fortunately for Cuyahoga County residents, there is a great resource to get you started on the road to savings. Home… Read more ›
Transforming a dilapidated house into a dream home can be a rewarding experience. Finding a house with “good bones” in a stable neighborhood at a reduced price is the key to success. The Cuyahoga Land Bank has a number of… Read more ›
In this season of giving thanks, we extend our wishes for a happy and bountiful Thanksgiving and thank you for supporting our mission throughout the year. As we give thanks, let us also be mindful of those less fortunate who may be… Read more ›
Providing vacant property maintenance is a critical part of managing land bank properties. The Cuyahoga Land Bank, over the past year, has maintained over 3,500 properties in its inventory. These responsibilities include cutting grass, removing debris, and boarding up structures.… Read more ›
With dozens of renovation and new home construction projects underway from Cleveland Heights to Rocky River, the Cuyahoga Land Bank recently debuted a new logo for its yard signage it is developing to build community awareness of our housing development work… Read more ›
Abandoned Property Reimagined into Lakefront Eatery After sitting abandoned nearly eight years, and more than two years of design and renovation work, the Summer House restaurant opened its doors in March. The lakefront eatery is quickly earning a reputation as… Read more ›
James MaherCommercial Demolition Officer Date of HireNovember 2009 EducationUniversity of Cincinnati Describe yourself in three wordsDiligent, friendly, inquisitive What motivates you in your work?Each site is different and has the opportunity for a fresh start. Looking at sites before we… Read more ›
When Amanda and Bernie arrived in Cleveland from Los Angeles in 2017, they planned to buy and renovate a multi-family property in Cleveland Heights as an investment and return to L.A. a few weeks later. But the restoration of the… Read more ›
We are often asked about the day-to-day work of the Cuyahoga Land Bank from curious residents and community leaders. In this ongoing Behind the Scenes series, we take a look at the strategic land assembly work performed by the Cuyahoga… Read more ›
From University Circle to Tremont to Ohio City, Civic Builders has built countless homes and worked on renovations, remodels and new constructions big and small. In 2001, the company set out to meet unanswered demand for city projects and now… Read more ›
Meet the Team: Austin Bloom, Program Liaison Read more ›
The Opportunity CLE initiative promotes federally sanctioned opportunity zones as catalysts in economically distressed areas throughout Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. It has been designated as one of the top 20 such efforts in the nation. Opportunity CLE was created in… Read more ›
What was once an old abandoned gas station rife with contamination in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood is now a beautiful, sustainable green space thanks to the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga Land Bank and The Finch Group real estate company.
The Cuyahoga Land Bank works with a diverse group of local contractors in our renovation work. We are always on the lookout for quality contractors that specialize in construction and rehabilitation, including licensed general contractors, sub-contractors and mechanicals. Want to work… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank took part in a dedication and prayer service welcoming Star and her three children to their new home in Cleveland last week. Star is a participant of the City Mission’s New Horizons Program, which works with… Read more ›
We recently completed renovations on this gorgeous Cape Cod in Cleveland’s desirable West Park neighborhood. With our commitment to high quality renovations and unique features for all our in-house renovation projects, it’s no wonder this home was quickly grabbed up by a lucky… Read more ›
In 2015, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, in collaboration with the City of Cleveland, surveyed every residential, commercial, and industrial parcel in the City – more than 158,854 parcels! That survey captured a snapshot of each property by ranking the current… Read more ›
In November, Fourth District Cleveland Police officers, residents and others gathered to officially dedicate the Officer Derek Owens Memorial Park. The inclusive neighborhood park was built on three vacant lots on Parkview Avenue in Cleveland encompassing the site where Patrol… Read more ›
On behalf of the entire Cuyahoga Land Bank team, I would like to thank everyone for making our 10thanniversary IMPACT! event such a success. On Thursday, October 17, we gathered with nearly 400 of our friends and partners in the… Read more ›
Friends, neighbors and volunteers gathered in September to celebrate the official opening of Bessie’s Place II, a permanent low-income housing opportunity for young ladies age 18-24 who have aged out of foster care. Bessie’s Place II is a collaboration between Bessie’s… Read more ›
Friends and supporters of Building Hope in the City (BHITC), a Christian mission organization focused on the renewal of urban Cleveland, gathered on Saturday, June 29 for prayer and dedication of its new faith-based home for soldiers journeying together in… Read more ›
The Environmental Protection Agency announced last month the Cuyahoga Land Bank would receive $300,000 in EPA Brownfields funding to assess environmentally unclean industrial and commercial properties in the region. Grants awarded by the EPA’s Brownfield Program provide communities across the… Read more ›
After more than 10,000 acquisitions. On the heels of more than 7,000 demolitions. After facilitating more than 2,100 home renovations … It’s time to celebrate! Mark your calendars now for IMPACT!, a celebration of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s accomplishments over the… Read more ›
Community development stakeholders joined local civic leaders and elected officials June 26th to hear the findings of an independent 10-year Cuyahoga Land Bank economic impact study at a press conference and public forum at Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin… Read more ›
A big crowd of supporters gathered June 11th for the ribbon cutting and official opening of the Greater Cleveland Fisher Houses. A big shout out to the Fisher House Foundation and all those in our community who helped make this… Read more ›
Over the last 10 years the Cuyahoga Land Bank has had a $1.43 million impact, according to a recent study. The Plain Dealer looks at the organization’s role in restoring property values by demolishing and rehabilitating distressed structures, returning properties to Cuyahoga County’s tax rolls, and bolstering the local economy with the money it has spent and private-sector investments it has spurred. Read more ›
Another aspect of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s work is rehabilitating distressed properties with the help of community partners, including dozens of local nonprofits. The Plain Dealer explores how these partners work with the Cuyahoga Land Bank to rehabilitate homes and use them to serve their clients. Read more ›
We’re proud to partner with the Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity to offer this homeowner info session on June 26, 2019. Read more ›
With his knowledge of the local market and expertise in negotiations, real estate agent Ryan DeLuca can spot a hidden-gem home with strong potential to grow in value. Read more ›
Elizabeth Baptist Church, a pillar of the Hyacinth neighborhood on Cleveland’s east side, has ministered to the spiritual and physical needs of its congregation for nearly a century. Read more ›
We are excited to see the final touches being put on the Greater Cleveland Fisher House apartments. The final phase of the $3 million project has wrapped in preparation of a formal dedication and ribbon cutting in June. The Fisher… Read more ›
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland completed construction on two homes in January and held dedications at which the families received keys to their new homes. Read more ›
Members of the Cleveland Police First District Community Relations team and Councilman Brian Kazy welcomed a mother and her children to their new home on Cleveland’s west side in January. Read more ›
Family, friends, volunteers and staff of several partner organizations came together in December to welcome Chanelle and her two daughters into their new home in Garfield Heights. Read more ›
Cleveland’s attractive, family-friendly West Park neighborhood continues to experience increases in home sale prices. However, West Park is not immune to tax delinquent blighted houses. Read more ›
Women of Hope, a local non-profit group, continues its labor of love in creating transitional housing opportunities for women and children and veteran families in our community who are at-risk of homelessness. Read more ›
Court Community Service (CCS) is a not-for-profit agency that arranges community service work for adult offenders designed as a quality alternative sentencing option responsive to the needs of the courts and the community. Read more ›
Neighbors and friends of the Church of the Living God on Buckeye Road gathered on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in August for the dedication of William’s Place community park in Cleveland’s Buckeye neighborhood. William’s Place Park was named in honor… Read more ›
While some of our urban neighborhoods continue to struggle to maintain affordable housing, unique collaborations among social service, faith-based and non-profit organizations are making a real difference in creating housing solutions for populations in need. Building Hope in the City (BHITC) is one such organization, working to restore the “city to God” by developing and linking people, communities and churches.
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A vacant lot on Sackett Avenue in Cleveland’s Clark-Fulton neighborhood will soon be a haven for fresh produce for local residents. The new distribution center is a program of Baba Neem Karoli Satsang (BNKS), a non-profit church corporation doing business as Baba’s Yard, that brings awareness to the issue of hunger in America and manages free food distribution programs for the economically disadvantaged. BNKS recently purchased the land from the Cuyahoga Land Bank. Read more ›
Paul Huneycutt and his wife, Lorie, came to Cleveland in 2014 as Site Coordinators for Envision Cleveland, a ministry of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, to establish and strengthen communities of faith. Through its work, Envision Cleveland actively collaborates with individuals, communities, ministries and local government to reach marginalized populations in Cleveland and those struggling with poverty. Read more ›
A blighted and abandoned house on Trowbridge Avenue in Cleveland will soon be home to America’s finest. Eight veterans will have a new home address as a result of the Nehemiah Collaborative, a nonprofit organization focused on providing affordable, stable housing… Read more ›
Community Development Corporations in Cleveland are buying, renovating and selling vacant homes and making an impact in their neighborhoods. See the NewsChannel 5 story HERE.
The NEON Veterans Housing and Support Services (NVHSS) celebrated the completion of Phase One of its Veterans Housing Initiative at a ribbon cutting ceremony on July 18th. NEON board members, local government officials, Cuyahoga Land Bank leaders, veterans and neighborhood residents attended… Read more ›
On Saturday, May 20th and Sunday, May 21st, thousands of people gathered in Slavic Village for the fourth installation of Rooms To Let: CLE. The event, presented by Slavic Village Development Corporation, temporarily transforms vacant homes – all of which are slated… Read more ›
“I didn’t see myself as a homeowner,” says April Waltonen, proudly standing in front of her four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath home in Euclid that she closed on in July of last year. “The minute my daughter and I saw this house,… Read more ›
Father and Son Team Up to Renovate Vacant House When Michael Rubin Sr. retired from teaching, he dreamt of taking a well-deserved vacation and spending quality time with his wife and family. His plans, though, were put on hold once… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank recently was named a semifinalist in Harvard University’s 2017 Innovations in American Government Awards competition. The Awards are presented annually by The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of… Read more ›
Library Project has Neighborhood and Environmental Impact Cuyahoga Land Bank Key to Collaboration with Cleveland City Council, Cleveland Public Library, Ohio EPA, and Cleveland-Cuyahoga Port Authority Community leaders, neighborhood residents and other stakeholders gathered yesterday in Glenville to celebrate a… Read more ›
Nissim Mashmoor recently moved into his new home in Euclid after participating in the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Deed-In-Escrow Program. Nissim comments “Because of the Cuyahoga Land Bank, I’m a happy home owner. They have helped me achieve my goal of… Read more ›
Christopher Saddler became a first time home owner when he purchased a Cuyahoga Land Bank property in the City of Garfield Heights. “Because of the Cuyahoga Land Bank, I was able to purchase a residential property for me and my… Read more ›
Willie Bethune recently participated in the Deed-In-Escrow Program and purchased a three bedroom home in the Broadway-Slavic Village neighborhood. Willie shared about his successful purchase and says “It was a really good experience and a great learning experience to be… Read more ›
In the sixth installment of our FAQ video series, we explore programs available for the purchase and renovation of a Cuyahoga Land Bank home. The most popular program is the Deed-in-Escrow Program. An interested buyer is provided with a renovation… Read more ›
In the fourth installment of a series of Cuyahoga Land Bank FAQ videos, Land Bank President and General Counsel Gus Frangos explains how the Cuyahoga Land Bank acquires properties into our inventory. There are three sources: 1) REO (Real Estate… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank’s Deed-In-Escrow program makes it possible for individuals to purchase properties in the Cuyahoga Land Bank inventory and renovate them. Listen to Adam talk about his experience with the Deed-In-Escrow Program. You can learn more about the… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank Deed-in-Escrow program makes it possible for individuals to purchase properties in the Cuyahoga Land Bank inventory and renovate them. Rhonda Derrett, who was renovating a home for her sick father, needed special consideration due to her… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank Deed-in-Escrow program makes it possible for individuals to purchase properties in the Cuyahoga Land Bank inventory and renovate them. Listen to Adam Sywanyk talk about his experience with the Deed-in-Escrow Program. You can learn more about… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank Deed-in-Escrow program makes it possible for individuals to purchase properties in the Cuyahoga Land Bank inventory and renovate them. Rhonda Derrett, who was renovating a home for her sick father, needed special consideration due to her… Read more ›
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ75USveGeo&feature=c4-overview&list=UUGJT1EuXZmZjRaaNyYOkU7Q The Cuyahoga Land Bank Deed-in-Ecrow program was created as a way for investors, professional rehabbers and people looking to renovate a Land Bank property to turn it into their dream home to be able to do so. Program participants… Read more ›
