Habitat for Humanity Building Revitalized Neighborhoods

Mark Naymik reports on the recent efforts of Habitat for Humanity in the city of Cleveland, where the organization is renovating three homes in the neighborhood of Glenville, near University Circle on the city's East Side.

"The rehab of the homes is part of an ambitious agenda Habitat launched in 2013 to put its full resources into buying and renovating vacant properties in a targeted neighborhood rather than building more costly new homes on empty lots scattered across the city. The goal is to stabilize a street not yet lost completely to neglect and foreclosure by injecting homeowners almost overnight."

The three examples from Glanville are only part of Habitat for Humanity's Cleveland story—the organization has also renovated abandoned houses in the Slavic Village neighborhood, thanks in part to the donation of the properties by the Cuyahoga County Land Bank as well as Fairfax and more homes in Glenville.

In each neighborhood, Habitat for Humanity is strategic in its renovations so that homes can help raise the level of investment in the entire street or neighborhood. Naymik explains more about how the renovations achieve broader goals for the community:

"It's easy to spot Habitat homes on any street. The houses look new and often feature fully renovated porches, which the organization believes are crucial to building community because they become the eyes and ears on the street. In Slavic Village, several homes have rain gardens, which are fed by runoff from the downspouts, an attempt to divert the water from the homes' old foundations."