Westown Community Development Corporation

PROVIDE SERVICES TO ITS RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT ENHANCE AND MAINTAIN THE WESTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES. WCDCS SERVICE AREA KNOWN AS WESTOWN IS A VIBRANT, HISTORIC AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE CITY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT INCLUDES A RANGE OF HOUSING CHOICES

WESTOWNS SERVICE AREA INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 25,000 RESIDENTS; 11,000 UNITS OF HOUSING AND FOUR (4) LARGE RETAIL CORRIDORS. ITS DEMOGRAPHICS INCLUDES 25% AFRICAN AMERICAN25% LATINO AND 50% WHITE. THE PRIMARY RETAIL CORRIDOR IS LORAIN AVENUE BETWEEN WEST 130TH TO WEST 90TH STREET LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITYS WEST SIDE 7 MILE CORRIDOR OF SHOPPING, DINING & HISTORY ALONG LORAIN AVENUE THAT LINKS CLEVELAND HOPKINS AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND. ONCE AN EARLY STAGECOACH ROUTE, LORAIN AVENUE IS NOW AN ECLECTIC MIX OF CLASSIC TO RETRO SPECIALTY SHOPS, ETHNIC MARKETS, BAKERIES, CAFES, FINE DINING RESTAURANTS, IRISH PUBS, ANTIQUES/FLEA MARKETS, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT SPOTS, HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE & SACRED LANDMARKS. WESTOWN BUSINESSES LOCATED ALONG LORAIN AVENUE INCLUDE LOCALLY OWNED IMPORT FOOD MARKETS, BAKERIES AND POPULAR CAFES SERVING INTERNATIONAL CUISINE. THE SECOND COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR IS WEST 117TH STREET (EAST SIDE)FROM WESTERN AVENUE TO BELLAIRE AVENUE; THE 3RD IS WEST 105TH STREET FROM LORAIN TO BELLAIRE AVENUE AND THE 4TH IS BELLAIRE ROAD FROM WEST BLVD TO WEST 130TH STREET. THE SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND A HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE LATE 1800S.

1. COURT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM; THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF WCDCS (4) COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IS IMPORTANT. THE VIABILITY OF A COMMUNITY IS JUDGED IN LARGE PART BY HOW WELL LITTER, GRAFFITI, ILLEGAL DUMPING, AS WELL AS HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS ARE CONTROLLED. CITY RESOURCES ARE LIMITED AND CANNOT KEEP UP WITH DAILY DEMAND. WCDC MAINTAINS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CUYAHOGA COUNTY COURT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PROGRAMS WITH THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY COURT COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATION. SERVICES INCLUDES LITTER CONTROL AND GRAFFITI REMOVAL, GRASS CUTTING OF VACANT LOTS SUPPORT THE CITYS LOT CUTTING SERVICES. COMMUNITY MARKETING & BRANDING: WCDCS SUPPORTS ITS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THROUGH ITS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. CURRENT FOLLOWERS EXCEED 4000 ON WCDCS AND FRIENDS OF THE HISTORIC VARIETY THEATRE FACE BOOK PAGES. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: WESTOWN CDC SEEKS TO MAINTAIN COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO ITS NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK CLUBS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY. AS AN ORGANIZATION, WCDC SERVES ASFISCAL AGENT TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND TAKES A CAPACITY BUILDING APPROACH WHEN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. THIS IS DONE BY ATTENDING MEETINGS, CONNECTING THEM WITH RESOURCES,REACHING OUT THROUGH E-MAIL BLASTS, AND COLLABORATING ON COMMUNITY EVENTS. THE WCDC SERVICE AREA HAS ACTIVE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT THE ORGANIZATION INTERACTS WITH ON AN ON- GOING BASIS. THE FOLLOWINGARE EXAMPLES OF WCDC CO-SPONSORED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

HOUSING PROGRAM: WCDC MAINTAINS A FULL TIME COMMERCIAL/HOUSING STABILIZATION STAFF PERSON THAT WORKS WITH THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO ADDRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT. WCDC INVESTIGATES COMPLAINTS AND WORKSWITH OWNERS, TENANTS, LANDLORDS TO ACHIEVE CODE COMPLIANCE AND REFERRAL TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL REPAIR GRANTS AND LOANS. WHERE APPLICABLE AND IN CASES WHERE THERE IS NO RESOLUTION, WCDC SHARES CASE INFORMATION WITHTHE CITY OF CLEVELAND AND OR CLEVELAND MUNICIPAL HOUSING COURT FOR ENFORCEMENT. WCDC HAS SURVEYED 80% OR APPROXIMATELY 10,000 PROPERTIES IN ITS SERVICE AREA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND TO MAINTAIN ADATA BASE OF HOUSING CONDITIONS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY LAND BANK, WCDC MANAGES THE ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF VACANT HOUSES TO DEVELOPERS AND OR FAMILIES SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES TO INVEST, RESTORE HOUSINGAND LIVE IN THE WCDC SERVICE AREA.

COMMERCIAL PROGRAM: CODE ENFORCEMENT; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES; LOCATED ALONG ITS COMMERCIAL STREETS. SUPPORT TO COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES INCLUDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON EXPANSION, RELOCATION, ZONING, STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING DESIGN, OBTAINING CONSTRUCTION BIDS, ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS AND REIMBURSEMENTS AND OR INCENTIVES FOR ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND STOREFRONT RENOVATION PROGRAM.

WESTOWNS SERVICE AREA INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 25,000 RESIDENTS; 11,000 UNITS OF HOUSING AND FOUR (4) LARGE RETAIL CORRIDORS. ITS DEMOGRAPHICS INCLUDES 25% AFRICAN AMERICAN25% LATINO AND 50% WHITE. THE PRIMARY RETAIL CORRIDOR IS LORAIN AVENUE BETWEEN WEST 130TH TO WEST 90TH STREET LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITYS WEST SIDE 7 MILE CORRIDOR OF SHOPPING, DINING & HISTORY ALONG LORAIN AVENUE THAT LINKS CLEVELAND HOPKINS AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND. ONCE AN EARLY STAGECOACH ROUTE, LORAIN AVENUE IS NOW AN ECLECTIC MIX OF CLASSIC TO RETRO SPECIALTY SHOPS, ETHNIC MARKETS, BAKERIES, CAFES, FINE DINING RESTAURANTS, IRISH PUBS, ANTIQUES/FLEA MARKETS, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT SPOTS, HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE & SACRED LANDMARKS. WESTOWN BUSINESSES LOCATED ALONG LORAIN AVENUE INCLUDE LOCALLY OWNED IMPORT FOOD MARKETS, BAKERIES AND POPULAR CAFES SERVING INTERNATIONAL CUISINE. THE SECOND COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR IS WEST 117TH STREET (EAST SIDE)FROM WESTERN AVENUE TO BELLAIRE AVENUE; THE 3RD IS WEST 105TH STREET FROM LORAIN TO BELLAIRE AVENUE AND THE 4TH IS BELLAIRE ROAD FROM WEST BLVD TO WEST 130TH STREET. THE SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND A HISTORIC AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE LATE 1800S.

1. COURT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM; THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF WCDCS (4) COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IS IMPORTANT. THE VIABILITY OF A COMMUNITY IS JUDGED IN LARGE PART BY HOW WELL LITTER, GRAFFITI, ILLEGAL DUMPING, AS WELL AS HIGH GRASS AND WEEDS ARE CONTROLLED. CITY RESOURCES ARE LIMITED AND CANNOT KEEP UP WITH DAILY DEMAND. WCDC MAINTAINS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CUYAHOGA COUNTY COURT COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAM PROGRAMS WITH THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY COURT COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATION. SERVICES INCLUDES LITTER CONTROL AND GRAFFITI REMOVAL, GRASS CUTTING OF VACANT LOTS SUPPORT THE CITYS LOT CUTTING SERVICES. COMMUNITY MARKETING & BRANDING: WCDCS SUPPORTS ITS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THROUGH ITS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. CURRENT FOLLOWERS EXCEED 4000 ON WCDCS AND FRIENDS OF THE HISTORIC VARIETY THEATRE FACE BOOK PAGES. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: WESTOWN CDC SEEKS TO MAINTAIN COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS TO ITS NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK CLUBS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY. AS AN ORGANIZATION, WCDC SERVES ASFISCAL AGENT TO VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND TAKES A CAPACITY BUILDING APPROACH WHEN WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. THIS IS DONE BY ATTENDING MEETINGS, CONNECTING THEM WITH RESOURCES,REACHING OUT THROUGH E-MAIL BLASTS, AND COLLABORATING ON COMMUNITY EVENTS. THE WCDC SERVICE AREA HAS ACTIVE RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT THE ORGANIZATION INTERACTS WITH ON AN ON- GOING BASIS. THE FOLLOWINGARE EXAMPLES OF WCDC CO-SPONSORED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS

HOUSING PROGRAM: WCDC MAINTAINS A FULL TIME COMMERCIAL/HOUSING STABILIZATION STAFF PERSON THAT WORKS WITH THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO ADDRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT. WCDC INVESTIGATES COMPLAINTS AND WORKSWITH OWNERS, TENANTS, LANDLORDS TO ACHIEVE CODE COMPLIANCE AND REFERRAL TO RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL REPAIR GRANTS AND LOANS. WHERE APPLICABLE AND IN CASES WHERE THERE IS NO RESOLUTION, WCDC SHARES CASE INFORMATION WITHTHE CITY OF CLEVELAND AND OR CLEVELAND MUNICIPAL HOUSING COURT FOR ENFORCEMENT. WCDC HAS SURVEYED 80% OR APPROXIMATELY 10,000 PROPERTIES IN ITS SERVICE AREA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND TO MAINTAIN ADATA BASE OF HOUSING CONDITIONS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY LAND BANK, WCDC MANAGES THE ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF VACANT HOUSES TO DEVELOPERS AND OR FAMILIES SEEKING OPPORTUNITIES TO INVEST, RESTORE HOUSINGAND LIVE IN THE WCDC SERVICE AREA.

COMMERCIAL PROGRAM: CODE ENFORCEMENT; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES; LOCATED ALONG ITS COMMERCIAL STREETS. SUPPORT TO COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES INCLUDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON EXPANSION, RELOCATION, ZONING, STOREFRONT IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING DESIGN, OBTAINING CONSTRUCTION BIDS, ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS AND REIMBURSEMENTS AND OR INCENTIVES FOR ELIGIBLE IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND STOREFRONT RENOVATION PROGRAM.