The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) held ceremony for the grand opening of the administrative headquarters and the second phase of Heritage View Homes to enhance the lives of residents

By JAMES W. WADE III

Staff Reporter

Cleveland -- The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) held ceremony for the grand opening of the administrative headquarters and the second phase of Heritage View Homes to enhance the lives of residents and revitalize the Kinsman neighborhood. To date, CMHA has invested close to $64 M in the Kinsman area community, with plans to invest an additional $26 M for phase three of the Heritage View Homes project.

“This is an exciting and well-planned development for our residents, the neighborhood, the community, and Northeast Ohio,” said CMHA Chairman Ronald V. Johnson, Jr. “We have many public and private partners to thank today for allowing us to better serve our 53,000 residents.”

Interim CEO Jeffery K. Patterson welcomed national and local dignitaries to the event including Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, City Council member Phyllis Cleveland, Meredith Turner from the Office of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, and Cleveland Field Office Director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Doug Shelby.

The Heritage View Homes development aim was to transform the deteriorating Garden Valley Estates into a healthy, thriving community and to redefine what public housing represents, not just throughout the Kinsman area, but throughout Cuyahoga County.

Through collaborating with community partners such as Pennrose Properties, Ralph A. Falbo, Inc., the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Ohio Department of Development, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Red Capital, and Colton Enterprises, Inc., CMHA has continued to play a vital role in the revival of the development, as well as that of the surrounding neighborhood.

“The City of Cleveland has long been committed to working in partnership with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority in its efforts to enhance the quality of life for its residents,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “That commitment can be seen in the form of infrastructure investments, new employment opportunities and economic development projects which are part of a coordinated public-private effort to transform what was once one of Cleveland's most distressed neighborhoods.”

CMHA officially opened Heritage View Homes and dedicated the first phase of project last November. The completion of the second phase expands the estate by 57 units, consisting of 40 apartment-style units and 17 single-family homes. Additionally, a large neighborhood park has been added, rounding out the development and offering outdoor community space. These new units supplement the original 81 townhouse units constructed during phase one of the development. All of the units are energy-efficient and meet Enterprise Green Criteria.

The joint introduction of the Heritage View Homes and the Administrative Headquarters along with the development in the Kinsman area marks a pivotal time for the neighborhood. These two projects contribute significantly to the revitalization of the Kinsman area, an initiative that has also been supported by the City of Cleveland.

The city has initiated several improvements for the neighborhood, including installing new curbs, sidewalks and lighting. As Heritage View Homes continues to take form throughout its final four phases of development, it is encouraging to think how the community will transform along with it.

The CMHA Administrative Headquarters brings together nearly 400 CMHA employees from different departments and offices at one centralized site, located near many of the CMHA public housing developments. The facility encompasses both an administrative building and service building, and will assist CMHA in providing comprehensive, more efficient, services and resources to the resident, clients, and other persons doing business with CMHA.

Interim CEO Jeffery K. Patterson added, "These new developments could not have happened without resident engagement, strong partnerships, and sustainable practices. The construction of these facilities illustrates CMHA's commitment to providing quality housing and services to residents of Cuyahoga County."