New Initiative to Support Neighborhood Housing Quality

Cleveland is launching a new effort to improve local housing and quality of life through the Community Engagement Healthy Home Initiative. Under the passed emergency ordinance 464-2026, the Director of Community Development is authorized to manage this program by partnering with various Community Development Corporations (CDCs). These neighborhood-level nonprofits, which are dedicated to improving their specific geographic areas of operation Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, will be hired to place Community Engagement Specialists within different neighborhoods. The initiative also allows for professional services contracts to provide necessary training and the purchase of required materials to support the program.

The program aims to utilize these specialists to engage directly with residents and work on improving the city's housing stock. According to the 464, 518 & 520-2026 PRESENTATION, this initiative is part of a broader framework of community development efforts. This legislation is linked to other recent actions, such as Ord. No. 518-2026 and 520-2026, which deal with amending HUD grant usage and applying for 2026 federal funds including CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA grants. While those related measures involve inter-departmental agreements with entities like the Department of Public Works and the Department of Aging, Ordinance 464-2026 specifically focuses on the CDC contracts for the Healthy Homes engagement model.

Ordinance 464-2026 has officially passed. Residents can watch for updates regarding which specific Community Development Corporations are selected to host the Engagement Specialists in their respective neighborhoods as the implementation process moves forward.

Source record

File
464-2026
Type
Emergency Ordinance
Status
Passed
Committee
City Council
Introduced
April 8, 2026

View on Cleveland Legistar

Official documents

Sources