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 housing and a network of spiritual and vocational support.
The Nehemiah Collaborative, an alliance of four organizations – Building Hope in The City, Community Service Alliance, Scranton Road Ministries and The Family Ministry Center, a ministry of Bay Presbyterian Church – was founded in 2016 to bring positive transformation to Cleveland’s Near West Side, specifically the Clark-Fulton and Stockyards neighborhoods.
Combining forces, the group acquires, rehabilitates and maintains neighborhood properties while providing employment support services and devotional guidance. “The Nehemiah Collaborative focuses not only on housing solutions and rebuilding the area’s housing stock but also on creating a strong support network for the residents to improve their living, working and spiritual well-being,” says Bill Dillingham, the Board President of both Community Service Alliance and the Nehemiah Collaborative. “The Collaborative intends to stabilize these neighborhoods through safe and affordable housing and partner support.”
The Collaborative has acquired three houses from the Cuyahoga Land Bank. Much of the labor and materials are provided through in-kind donations, and renovations are completed by volunteers from all partnering organizations as well as other faith-based groups. “It is encouraging to see so many people give of their time and talent to help renovate these homes and make a difference for those in need,” says Dillingham.
Once renovations are completed, the collaborative maintains ownership of the properties and rents them to qualifying individuals and families for a modest rent. The Nehemiah Collaborative is a responsible and caring landlord that understands the need for affordable housing for families and the nation’s veterans.
The Nehemiah Collaborative plans to complete four to five additional homes in 2018 and is counting on the Cuyahoga Land Bank to help them identify and acquire homes for the program. “The Cuyahoga Land Bank, led by Gus Frangos, is absolutely one of the greatest organizations that I’ve worked with,” says Dillingham. “It sees the value in our work and appreciates the Collaborative as a model of what can be done to create housing solutions for low-moderate income people.”
For more information about the Nehemiah Collaborative, or to volunteer or donate, click HERE.
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