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 ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank recently welcomed Andrea Bruno as its new Real Estate Officer. Read more ›
Congratulations to Deidre Lightning-Whitted, Senior Demolition Inspector at the Cuyahoga Land Bank, on being honored by the Cleveland Police Foundation at its annual Community Relations Awards Ceremony. Read more ›
Western Reserve Land Conservancy’s 2018 Ohio Land Bank Conference, held October 23-24 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Downtown Columbus, offered up timely and essential information for more than 300 attendees from new and established land banks throughout Ohio.… Read more ›
In September, Cuyahoga Land Bank President Gus Frangos discussed urban neighborhood housing at the annual Christian and Missionary Alliance’s Central District Conference in Cleveland. Themed “Open Our Eyes,” the conference showcased the work being done through urban ministries, church missionaries and volunteers throughout the City. 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 look at the extensive work that goes into the demolition of blighted abandoned properties in the Cuyahoga Land Bank inventory. Read more ›
Firefighters put their lives in danger on the job every day, and one of the riskier events emergency responders face is rescuing people from collapsed structures. With no room for mistakes, training is especially important in preparing for this type of low-frequency, high danger situation. 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 ›
At the Cuyahoga Land Bank, we encourage people to think outside the box when it comes to envisioning sustainable re-use of vacant land left behind after the demolition of abandoned and vacant houses. Lakewood resident Justin Husher is among… Read more ›
On August 20, local news media joined community leaders, including Cuyahoga County Executive Armand Budish, to see first-hand the progress the Cuyahoga Land Bank is making in removing blight from one East Cleveland neighborhood. As multiple crews demolished dilapidated houses… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently renewed its annual agreement that allows HUD to transfer low-value, vacant and abandoned properties to the Cuyahoga Land Bank for $100. The unique agreement has… Read more ›
Several Cuyahoga Land Bank directors and employees recently visited the Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation’s (COCIC) Franklin County Land Bank in Columbus to share insights on land banking best practices and innovative programming opportunities. “We have a shared mission of creating safer,… Read more ›
In early August, the Cuyahoga Land Bank bid farewell to team member KC Petraitis who has taken a new position as the Director of Real Estate at University Circle Inc. Read more ›
A Euclid trucking business plans to expand its operation with a recent purchase of an adjacent property from the City of Euclid. Read more ›
In July, Lilah Zautner, Manager of Special Projects and Land Reuse and Jessie Masters, Information and Planning Specialist at the Cuyahoga Land Bank presented at the third Legacy City Preservation Conference, held in Buffalo, NY. The conference theme, “reGENerated,” invited attendees to engage, learn, ponder, share, and consider solutions for the hubs of creativity, innovation, and optimism that are Legacy Cities. Read more ›
Kim Steigerwald Acquisitions Manager Date of Hire November 2009 Education BA, Political Science, Bowling Green State University; Master of Public Administration, Kent State University Describe yourself in three words Faith-filled. Family. Focused. What motivates you in your work? We change… Read more ›
In the Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, you can still see the scars of the foreclosure crisis — vacant houses with sagging porches and broken windows, empty lots where houses once stood and a still-thriving demolition business tearing down… 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 ›
Making Way for Permanent Supportive Housing More than a decade after closing in 2006, the Old Brooklyn YMCA building was torn down in June by the Cuyahoga Land Bank. Neighbors joined City Council President Kevin Kelley, Councilman Tony Brancatelli. EDEN,… Read more ›
On July 28th and 29th 2018, the next generation of Rooms to Let: CLE kicked off its fifth year of transforming Slavic Village houses with innovative art installations. Led by Slavic Village Development Corporation, Rooms to Let: CLE seeks to… Read more ›
In April, Vatreisha Nyemba, Compliance and Program Development Manager for the Cuyahoga Land Bank participated in the National Council for Behavioral Health’s NatCon18 Conference in Washington D.C. The annual conference brings together more than 5,000 leaders to explore healthcare’s greatest innovations in practice improvement, financing, integrated health care, technology, policy and advocacy. Nyemba participated in a workshop addressing homelessness and addiction and the financial sustainability of recovery housing.
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Cleaning up hundreds of vacant lots left over from winter demolitions is a huge undertaking – so much so that we’ve even named the flurry of activity.
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KC Petraitis
Real Estate Officer Read more ›
More than 1,000 urban, suburban, and rural leaders gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 15-18 for the Center of Community Progress’s eighth Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference (RVP), the only national conference of its kind. RVP explores the latest strategies to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties, providing space to showcase innovation and creating a forum in which new ideas can arise. It brings people together around these common challenges and gives them tools to return home and affect real, on-the-ground change. 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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East Cleveland city leaders and the Cuyahoga Land Bank have been working on a possible city revitalization plan for nearly two years. See NewsChannel 5’s coverage of the story HERE.
The Cuyahoga Land Bank has the potential to change the face of a neighborhood. Case in point: The Cuyahoga Land Bank has gone to significant lengths to restore this South Boulevard property in Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood. This 10-room mansionette, built… Read more ›
Families of veteran or active duty military personnel receiving treatment at the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center will soon have a place to stay, thanks to a “home away from home” that is being built on grounds adjacent to the medical center. Read more ›
According to an exclusive News 5 investigative report, more than 1,600 homes have been restored, making the Cuyahoga Land Bank the single largest facilitator of rehabilitated homes in the area. Read more ›
We are so honored to have been able to present a piece of history to a Cleveland family after the World War II death of two brothers. Crews found the treasure inside a vacant home. Watch the News 5 story… Read more ›
It was a day of good fortune for many children and families of Cleveland’s Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood when U.S. missionaries Bob and Judy Willard chose to relocate to Cleveland and begin their inner-city ministry in the community. “Our entire family went on… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank recently took part in a heartwarming dedication of a home with the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland. Read more ›
Beyond acquisition, demolition and renovation of blighted properties in the county, the Cuyahoga Land Bank makes strategic transactions that have immediate and far-reaching effects on many special needs and at-risk populations in our community. Read more ›
We’re highlighting another one of our Cuyahoga Land Bank team members. We hope you enjoy learning more about the people who help make our organization what it is. Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a development site it owns on Kinsman Road in the City of Cleveland’s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. The Cuyahoga Land Bank is in the process of assembling vacant land in… Read more ›
The Cuyahoga Land Bank recently welcomed Ron Pavlovich, CPA, as its new Director of Finance. Pavlovich, a seasoned accounting professional, felt somewhat of a calling when a friend forwarded the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s job posting. “I was looking for a new opportunity – one that married my professional experience with a purpose or ministry, and I felt drawn to the work of the organization,” says Pavlovich. Read more ›
What seemed like a standard acquisition and “clean-out” recently by one of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s trash clean-out contractors, was anything but routine. While cleaning out the abandoned house on Cleveland’s near west side, Beneficial Properties’ owner Marvin Stover noticed… Read more ›
Volunteers and friends gathered in late July to celebrate the official opening of Bessie’s Place, a permanent low-income housing opportunity for young ladies age 18-24 who have aged out of foster care. Bessie’s Place is a collaboration between Bessie’s Angels,… Read more ›
Working Together for Solutions From case studies in community redevelopment to rehab strategies for vacant properties, the annual Western Reserve Land Conservancy’s 2017 Ohio Land Bank Conference offered up timely and essential information for land bank board members and staff,… Read more ›
After being released from serving a 12 ½ year federal prison term, William Foster knew that he could make a difference when he began holding bible study for a few friends and neighborhood youth in his garage in 2009. In… Read more ›
