$1M grant to revitalize Lakewood housing
By Allison Pritchard
Lakewood
Published Jan. 7, 2009

On Dec. 19 the Ohio Department of Development announced that the City of Lakewood will receive $1,072,216 as part of the Federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program. Lakewood received this award after months of advocacy by city officials to federal state and local officials, according to a recent press release. The amount received exceeds the amount that Lakewood officials anticipated, the release said.

Funds will be used toward implementing Mayor Ed FitzGerald’s Housing Initiative. As part of the initiative, the city plans to buy some run-down properties adjacent to businesses and knock them down to increase parking availability. Businesses may purchase lots and some may be made into municipal parking lots, Nathan Kelly, director of planning and development said.

“Every property is going to be unique with its condition, location and financial situation,” Kelly said. Some neglected homes will be bought by the city and rehabilitated with new kitchens and bathrooms for the city to resell, Kelly said. Other houses may be knocked down and land will be sold to adjacent homeowners who want bigger yards. Additionally, Lakewood also plans to extend the program that converts some double homes into singles.

The administration’s emphasis on housing and FitzGerald’s launch of the  Lakewood Housing Initiative were attributed as the city’s reasons for why it deserved more funding, the release said.

The 2008 20-point initiative is a two-pronged approach: it encourages investment by homeowners, while streamlining and toughening enforcement measures, according to Kelly. Common violations include chipped paint or out of compliance railings, Kelly said. 

The housing initiative’s goal of investment by homeowners will include the city’s assembly and augmentation of existing programs to help attract homeowners, Kelly said.

Because Lakewood has a lot of renters, the city hopes to convert some renters into first time home owners by offering down payment assistance, low interest loans and some grants. Even when the banks are tight, Lakewood residents can take advantage of loans from the city and Lakewood’s unique partnerships with banks like the First Federal of Lakewood, Kelly told West Life. These loans encourage investment by homeowners, he said. Residents can call the Office of Community Development at (216) 529-4663 to find a program. The programs should fill vacant properties and increase community worth, Kelly said.

As part of the initiative, the city has also painted a couple dozen homes, Kelly said. To increase value of their homes, some residents can apply for a historic preservation designation. Counsel and advice on paint colors to be historically accurate are also available, Kelly said.

Economic development in Lakewood is housing, Kelly said. Compared to some peer communities, Lakewood’s housing situation is good, Kelly said. It doesn’t have the foreclosure problems some cities have. If something is already productive to the city, the city isn’t going to change it, but if it is nonproductive, Lakewood will work to address the problems, Kelly said.

“This funding is will help to preserve our housing stock for the next generation of Lakewood residents,” FitzGerald said in the release.

For more information, contact Nathan Kelly, Director of Planning and Development for the city of Lakewood at (216) 529-6635.