Since 2009, Cuyahoga Land Bank has been returning vacant and abandoned properties to productive use and thereby increasing property value, supporting communities and improving the quality of life for County residents. This work has been accomplished through a variety of tactics, including: Renovation, specifically through our deed-in-escrow program where we hold on to a […]

  Twenty twenty-four marks the 15th year of the Cuyahoga Land Bank’s existence. The Land Bank’s journey began in 2008, when Land Bank President and General Counsel Gus Frangos and then Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis wrote, introduced and helped pass legislation to create Ohio’s very first land bank. The stipulation on the bill’s passing […]

 Habitat for Humanity participant celebrates with family her newly earned home! On a sunny Saturday morning in May, five families were handed their wooden keys in a heartwarming dedication that also marked a significant milestone for both Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cleveland and Cuyahoga Land Bank.  This project on West 128th, lovingly referred to […]

  The dream of a home of their own became a reality for a local family, thanks to The Building and Leveraging Opportunities (BLO) Foundation (known by its fraternal name Beta Lambda Omega), a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming lives and revitalizing communities through impactful programs like its #ProjectFreshStart initiative. The Cuyahoga Land Bank and […]

  The holidays are a time for giving, and what better way to give than by donating to a great cause? In a world facing a growing housing crisis, organizations dedicated to providing housing opportunities to vulnerable populations and communities play a crucial role in ensuring that everyone has access to safe, stable, and affordable […]

  CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mount Pleasant and Union-Miles neighborhoods have seen better days, but some believe better days are coming. Cuyahoga County Land Bank Charities this summer announced its plan to build or rehab hundreds of houses in Mount Pleasant, a much-needed boost for the area. Over the next three years, this project, which […]

 The Smith family (center) along with key Project Fresh Start partners. The Smith family has lived at Laura’s Home, a crisis center for women on Cleveland’s west side, for more than a year. Now, the family is getting ready to settle into their own home thanks to a group of caring individuals looking to create […]

  Cuyahoga Land Bank Charities is excited to partner with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland and the Saint Luke’s Foundation to develop affordable housing for homeownership in the Buckeye and Mt. Pleasant neighborhoods of Cleveland. The project, backed by a total budget of $33 million, will focus on four key areas: new construction, rehabilitation of […]

  In celebration of its 200th year on Cleveland’s Public Square, the historic Old Stone Church has embarked upon a critical mission to address housing insecurity in our community. Old Stone Church is co-sponsoring the Cuyahoga Land Bank Charities’ Matching Grant Program with a commitment of $250,000 to provide 200 homes (representing its 200 years of service […]

  Land Bank Charities provides house, grant money for renovation Yvette Applewhite and her 12-year-old daughter were just handed the title to their very own home — after months of struggling with keeping a roof over their heads.. and food on the table. “Sometimes I still pinch myself like when I get off from work. […]

  Some of the most gratifying work of the Cuyahoga Land Bank is when we can execute our “brick and mortar” mission in a way that supports human and social service needs. Over the years, the Cuyahoga Land Bank has provided more than 155 homes and buildings to social service, faith-based and nonprofit organizations that […]

  Danielle Acosta was shocked by the glaring, overwhelming need for affordable, safe housing while working as an educator of low-income and homeless students. As a real estate investor and property manager, she consistently heard stories about the many challenges so many in our community face attempting to locate and secure a home for their […]

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 work everyone put into the house,” says Lakeesha. “This house is made with love, and […]

On behalf of the entire Cuyahoga Land Bank team, I would like to thank everyone for making our 10th anniversary IMPACT! event such a success. On Thursday, October 17, we gathered with nearly 400 of our friends and partners in the non-profit and community development field, government, and private sector at The Madison in Cleveland […]

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 Angels, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating, empowering and nurturing young women as they transition […]

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. Under the steadfast leadership of Pastor Richard Gibson, the church provides amazing outreach and restorative work in the community it serves. The Church offers a wide range […]

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 House Foundation built two Fisher House complexes with 16 suites each that will accommodate up […]

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. Volunteers, staff, donors and community partners were recognized for their support of the families’ journey to homeownership at the dedication. The Cuyahoga Land Bank provided the homes for both projects […]

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. First District volunteers will help to renovate the home over the next several months through the City Mission’s New Horizons Program.  We are excited to be […]

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. The renovation of the 2-bedroom home was made possible through the New Horizons Housing Collaborative, AXA Financial Advisors, the Cuyahoga Land Bank, and other community partners. The New Horizons Collaborative is […]

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. The group recently welcomed a mother and her three children to a newly renovated home in Garfield Heights. The family came to Women […]

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 of Bishop William Carr, founder of the Church in 1965, and William E. Fowler, pastor […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Volunteers from the Nehemiah Collaborative clean out a home in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood to begin renovations. 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 […]