Well Community Development Corporation

THE WELL CDC INVESTS IN PEOPLE THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

RESTORING HOUSING: VACANCIES ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY A FOURTH (21.9%) OF ALL HOMES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. ONLY 25% OF MIDDLEBURY HOMES ARE OWNER OCCUPIED, WHEREAS, A HEALTHY HOUSING MARKET DISPLAYS A 60-70% HOME OWNERSHIP RATE. THE WELL CDC'S RESTORING HOUSING INITIATIVE FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING A HEALTHY HOUSING PIPELINE THAT PROVIDES RESIDENTS THE POWER TO CHOOSE THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT FITS THEIR CURRENT CONTEXT AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS. THE WELL CDC'S GOAL IS TO SUPPORT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF HOUSING NEEDS WITHIN THE MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY INCLUDING BOTH REHABS AND "MISSING MIDDLE" HOUSING (DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES, QUADS). THE WELL SEEKS TO MAINTAIN LONG TERM AFFORDABILITY AND INFLUENCE THE HOUSING MARKET BY OWNING 15% OF RENTALS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE WELL PLANS TO ACQUIRE 270 HOUSES OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND REHAB THEM IN ADDITION TO BUILDING 125 NEW BUILD UNITS. CURRENTLY THE WELL OWNS 112 PROPERTIES AND THE FIRST NEW BUILD DUPLEX AT 764 EXCELSIOR STREET WENT INTO SERVICE IN MARCH OF 2023.TO ENABLE A PATHWAY TO HOMEOWNERSHIP, THE WELL CDC HAS CREATED A RESIDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT CREATES HOLISTIC SERVICES THAT ENCOURAGE RESIDENT STABILITY THROUGH PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL SCHOOL SUPPORT AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. IN ADDITION, THE WELL CDC HAS AN ACCESSIBLE COMMUNITY TOOL LIBRARY AND HOME MAINTENANCE CLASSES TO INCREASE HOMEOWNERSHIP SKILLS. THESE COMBINED EFFORTS ARE TO INCREASE HOMEOWNERSHIP FROM 22% TO 78% IN THE MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES - OPERATIONS

CREATING ECONOMY:LESS THAN 1% OF MIDDLEBURY RESIDENTS LIVE AND WORK INSIDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE 11,000+ JOBS EXIST AT LOCAL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THE MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY HAS A 15.1% UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, ALMOST DOUBLE THE RATE OF GREATER AKRON, AND TRIPLE THE RATE OF SUMMIT COUNTY. TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, OUR CREATING ECONOMY INITIATIVE ENCOURAGES THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OUR CURRENT ASSETS TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, CAREER PATHWAYS, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS. THE WELL CDC HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND FOCUSES TO AID IN THIS: AKRON FOOD WORKS, COMPASS, MIDDLEBURY WORKFORCE COALITION AND COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT. AKRON FOOD WORKS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH HILL CDC, WILL LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE GREATER AKRON AREA BY OFFERING LOWRISK ACCESS TO START OR GROW A FOOD BUSINESS. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY OFFERING EDUCATION, A PHYSICAL SHAREUSE KITCHEN TO CREATE THEIR PRODUCTS AND ACCESS TO BUSINESS RESOURCES AS WELL AS RETAIL OUTLETS TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS. THE COMPASS CAF SEEKS TO OPERATE AS A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE FOR NEIGHBORS AND SERVING AS THE "FRONT PORCH" TO THE WELL CDC AND GREATER MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD.THE MIDDLEBURY WORKFORCE COALITION IS A PARTNERSHIP OF LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT CREATE A COLLABORATIVE, TRAUMAINFORMED AND NEIGHBORHOOD-FOCUSED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT REMOVES BARRIERS TO QUALITY, LIVING WAGE CAREERS. THIS SUPPORTS UPWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND FINANCIAL RESILIENCY IN THE MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD. LASTLY, TO PRESERVE THE BONES OF THE MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE WELL CDC FOCUSES ON COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT TO BOTH REPURPOSE ALREADY EXISTING SPACES AND EXPLORE WAYS TO CREATE ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THOSE SPACES. THE FACILITIES AT 647 E. MARKET STREET, 221 BEAVER STREET, AND 816 E. MARKET STREET ARE INCLUDED IN THE WELL CDC'S REDEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.THE LONGTERM GOAL OF THE WELL'S CREATING ECONOMY INITIATIVE IS TO DECREASE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FROM 15% TO 5%. TO DATE, THE WELL CDC HAS ENGAGED [115] AKRON FOOD WORKS KITCHEN USERS, HOSTED [11] WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COHORTS SINCE ITS CREATION IN 2020, AND CONTINUED SERVING AS A SOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY THROUGH OUR COMPASS CAFE, FACILITIES, AND PROGRAMMING.COMPASS COFFEE SHOP HAS EXPERIENCED INTERMITTANT CLOSURES DUE TO COVID-19 SPIKES AND STAFFING ISSUES. SALES HAVE NOT INCREASED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS, WHILE FOOD AND BEVERAGE COSTS HAVE CONTINUED TO INCREASE.

SUPPORTING PLACE:MASON CLC, THE K-6 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOCATED IN THE MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD, HAS A 32% STUDENT MOBILITY RATE. TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, THE WELL CDC SEEKS TO DEVELOP DEEPER SOCIAL COHESION WITHIN MIDDLEBURY TO NOT ONLY DECREASE THE STUDENT TRANSIENCY RATE, BUT TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PLACE THEY LIVE AND EACH OTHER THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. THE WELL CDC'S AKRON HOPE PROGRAM BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS AND INVESTS RESOURCES INTO STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND FAMILY STABILITY, CREATING ACCESS TO QUALITY HOMES AND LIVABLE WAGES. AKRON HOPE PARTNERS WITH MASON CLC AND HELEN ARNOLD CLC TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM TUTORING, COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENTS AND HOLIDAY OUTREACH EVENTS. THE WELL CDC HELD 11 COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS EVENS AND SUPPORTED 475 STUDENTS THROUGH ADOPT-A-CLASSROOM'S.