Prior to City Council's final CDBG budget, copies of the Consolidate Plan were made available at each of the public libraries in the city during the 30-day public comment period. The Consolidated Plan was forwarded to the Department of Housing & Urban Development shortly after the end of the comment period.
Cleveland Heights contains about 21,000 households. In terms of households types, families represent 60% of all households. Two trends occurring in Cleveland Heights are a decline in the number of families and an increase in the number of nonfamily households (persons living alone or with nonrelatives only). In addition, in 1990, 13% of all households in Cleveland Heights are headed by females, a rapidly rising category.
In terms of income, HUD utilizes median family income (MFI) as its main measure. At $43,541, Cleveland Heights compares favorably with the national median family income of $35,939. To show the detail of how incomes are distributed at various levels, HUD uses the following income categories. The figures are adjusted depending upon the number of persons in the households. This sample is four a family of four:
0%-30% of MFI - Extremely Low Income: Maximum $11,150 annual income.
31%-50% of MFI - Very Low Income: $11,151 to $18,550 annual income.
51%-80% of MFI - Low Income: $18,551 to $29,700 annual income.
81%-95% of MFI - Moderate Income: $29,701 to $35,250 annual income.
Based upon the 1990 Census, about 30% of Cleveland Heights households are considered low or moderate income, meaning about 6,250 households totaling 15,400 persons (HUD, Low and Moderate Income Reports, July 9, 1993.)
As important as the number of housing units in Cleveland Heights is the time period in which they were constructed. Approximately 12,400 units (57%) were built before 1939, meaning their age is approaching a minimum of 55 years. Due to the age of the housing stock in Cleveland Heights, HUD estimates that 15,800-20,100 units may contain at least some lead-based paint.
According to the 1990 Census, within Cleveland Heights approximately 60% of units were owner occupied, 36% renter-occupied, and 4% vacant. These percentages have remained basically steady from 1980 and include an increase in the number of minority homeowners. In terms of the pattern of homeownership as of 1990, the homeownership rate at various age categories exceeded the citywide average in the 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65-74 age brackets. One trend that is apparent is apparent in Cleveland Heights during 1980-1990 is that the rate of homeownership in younger age brackets, such as age 25-34 and 25-44, is declining.
The housing stock within Cleveland Heights is also affordable, with approximately 4,800 (63%) of all rental units costing $250-$499 per month and about 9,400 (81%) single-family houses valued at less than $100,000. The median sales price of single-family homes in Cleveland Heights rose about 11% from 1990-1992, reaching $78,000.
Of all occupied units in Cleveland Heights, renters occupy almost 95% of zero- and one-bedroom units, 74% of two-bedroom units, and 15% of units with three or more bedrooms. Restating the above information in terms of owners shows that owners occupy about 5% of zero- and one-bedroom units, 26% of two-bedroom units, and 85% of units with three or more bedrooms.
A portion of the households just mentioned are considered at risk of homelessness if there income is 0% -30% of the Median Family Income and more than 50% of gross income is spent on gross housing costs, including utilities. Within Cleveland Heights, that group totals about 1,200 households. Other groups threatened with homelessness include victims of domestic violence, persons being release from jails and prisons, and persons doubled up in housing with another household. An estimate of the number of these situations within Cleveland Heights, and the percentage of persons that might be threatened with homelessness, is not available.
Although there is not a visible homeless problem within Cleveland Heights, it is now estimated that 10,000 Cuyahoga County residents (including the City of Cleveland) are homeless at one point or another during a year. This includes the common notion of individuals in shelters or on the street, and situations such as persons and families sleeping in their auto. The organizations that provide shelter for the homeless have recently begun to ask persons of the zip code of their last residence, improving the available data concerning the countywide geographic distribution of homelessness situations. The Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services is now considering other changes in the survey form being used by shelters, such as potentially asking the city of last residence, which would improve information in situations where zip codes overlap municipal or neighborhood boundaries, such as Cleveland Heights.
HUD has divided renter households into four categories: elderly one- and two-member households, small families (two to four persons), large families (five or more persons), and "all other households" (primarily nonelderly one-person households). Cleveland Heights considers all four of these categories of renters important, however the most attention will be directed toward the 1,200 low income elderly households and 1,100 low income small family households. Large families and "all other households" will not be excluded from housing strategies, however large families are numerically a much smaller group of residents (200 low income households). "All other households," although totaling 1,500 low income households, do not have the same constraints as persons who are elderly or households with children.
The strategies planned by Cleveland Heights for renter households include rehabilitation of units and supportive services. Rehabilitation is important in order to provide housing that meets health and safety codes. It should be noted that older housing stock can be expensive to rehabilitate. Support services include through marketing of weatherization programs and programs that pay a portion of winter heating bills, in order to reduce the housing costs of renters.
Cleveland Heights considers existing homeowners, which 2,600 low income households, to be one of the highest priorities. Strategies planned by Cleveland Heights for existing homeowners include rehabilitation and support services. Rehabilitation ensures that housing meets health and safety codes, as well as extends the useful life of a structure. Support services include thorough marketing of weatherization programs and programs that pay a portion of winter heating bills; mortgage refinancing to take advantage of lower interest rates (when applicable); and homestead property tax exemptions and homestead water exemptions for the elderly, all in order to reduce the housing costs of owners.
Strategies planned by Cleveland Heights for first-time home buyers consist of a limited amount of acquisition/rehabilitation/resale of foreclosed properties. For first-time home buyers, Cleveland Heights has made one distinction. Efforts will be concentrated in the 51%-80% MFI category, meaning an annual income range of $18,551 to $29,700 for a family of four. Cleveland Heights wants these first-time home buyer efforts to be long-term successes, and as annual income for a family moves downward from the $18,500 level, it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve that goal.
HUD has divided homeless persons into three categories: individuals, families, and persons with special needs, such as persons with mental illness, substance abuse problems, AIDS, or victims of domestic violence. Cleveland Heights plans to address this issue by supporting existing programs and searching for additional mechanisms to strengthen services by working cooperatively with public agencies such as the Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services.
The final category is non-homeless persons with special needs, which includes populations previously outlined. Cleveland Heights plans to work with public agencies and nonprofit organizations to undertake projects such as housing for the elderly, frail elderly, persons with developmental or mental disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, and persons with AIDS. Depending upon the project, Cleveland Heights could be involved directly with financial participation, or indirectly by providing assistance in securing other state or federal funds.
Cleveland Heights has also taken actions to address the problem of lead-based paint in the housing stock over the next five years. The Cuyahoga County Division of Community Development, on behalf of the Cuyahoga Housing Consortium, which includes the Cities of Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood, and the 42 community members of the Cuyahoga County Urban County, as well as the Cities of East Cleveland and Parma, has applied for a $5.8 million grant from HUD for a three-year program of lead-based paint hazard identification and reduction activities. Grant components include lead screening of children and follow-up case management; lead-based paint hazard reduction; community education and outreach; staff training and development for public sector housing and rehabilitation staff; and data collection and evaluation.
Cleveland Heights plans to spend an estimated $2,071,000 in CDBG funds (including program income) to assist an estimated 5,354 households, 40,589 individuals, and 59 businesses with programs and services. The City will also receive an estimated $200,000 in funds through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which may tentatively be used for multi-family rehabilitation projects.
The figures listed above do not include funds that will be matched or leveraged through financial institutions and property owners on individual projects, such as first-time home buyer assistance.
MAP 1 depicts the Cleveland Heights vicinity and selected points of interest.
MAP 2 depicts the areas of low and moderate income concentration.
MAP 3 depicts the areas where high levels of unemployment are concentrated in the city.
MAP 4 depicts the areas minority concentration within the city.
MAP 5 depicts the areas where projects are located.
Richard Wong, Interim Director
Department of Planning and Development
40 Severance Circle
Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118
