HUD, City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, CHN and Cuyahoga Land Bank Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funding

The Arch at Saint Michael, the recipient of CDBG funding, will house 46 low-income seniors in the Tremont neighborhood

Cleveland, August 22, 2024 - Officials from the U.S. Department of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, CHN Housing Partners (CHN) and the Cuyahoga Land Bank gathered today at The Arch at Saint Michael to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The Arch at Saint Michael, located in the Tremont neighborhood, is a green adaptive reuse of the iconic Saint Michael School, formerly known as Central Catholic School and convent, and is funded in part by CDBG dollars.

"CDBG funding is often a catalyst to attract or leverage additional public and private funding," said James Cunningham, HUD Great Lakes Deputy Regional Administrator. "Over the years, the City of Cleveland and other grantees have put CDBG funds to use in creative and innovative ways to maximize the program's impact."

Created in 1974, the CDBG program awards grants annually to develop communities by providing housing opportunities and expanding economic opportunities, primarily to low- to moderate-income individuals. This foundational community development program has made a difference in the lives of millions of people and communities across the country, with funds used to meet critical needs such as housing rehabilitation, public facilities, infrastructure, job creation, public services and more.

"The CDBG program has provided necessary resources to the City of Cleveland over the past 50 years. With these funds, we have been able to support the redevelopment, stabilization, and reimagination of our communities," said Alyssa Hernandez, Director of Community Development for the City of Cleveland. "These funds have enabled us to analyze our markets, invest in the look and feel of our neighborhoods, support our non-profit partners, and make projects like The Arch at Saint Michael come to life. Because of this program, we can preserve the history of our neighborhood and produce quality, affordable housing through projects like The Arch at Saint Michael."

The Arch at Saint Michael is a 46-apartment unit development for low-income seniors. The Saint Michael school and adjacent convent are on Scranton Road. Like the nearby church, the school was constructed as an early 1900s Gothic Revival structure. CDBG funds from HUD make up part of the capital stack of the $23 million investment into the Tremont neighborhood.

In addition, the development is funded by the Ohio Housing Finance agency, federal and state historic tax credits, a HUD 202 Capital Advance and Project Rental Assistance, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing and KeyBank.

"We are incredibly grateful for the significant support from HUD, which makes The Arch at Saint Michael possible," said Kevin Nowak, president and CEO of CHN. "Also, this development would not be possible without support from the Cuyahoga Land Bank and Cleveland City Council members Jasmin Santana, Ward 14, who represents the Tremont neighborhood where the Arch at St. Michael is located, and Anthony Hairston, Ward 11, who chairs City Council's Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee."

The Cuyahoga Land Bank owns the property and has leased it to the development.

The Arch at Saint Michael will allow seniors who earn below 50 percent of the area median income to age within their own community while preserving a cornerstone of the Tremont neighborhood for over 100 years.

Construction has begun and is anticipated to be completed in late 2025. More information about The Arch at Saint Michael can be found here: https://chnhousingpartners.org/the-arch-at-saint-michael/

About HUD

HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also connect with HUD on social media or sign up for news alerts on HUD's Email List.

About CHN Housing Partners

Founded in 1981, CHN Housing Partners is a large-scale affordable housing developer, housing service provider and residential lender that works with its partners to solve major housing challenges for low-income people and underserved communities in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania. CHN partners with utility companies, financial institutions and public agencies to manage and deliver large-scale housing resources. CHN also partners with people-low-income individuals, families, seniors, the disabled and the homeless-to improve their housing stability. CHN's impact in Cleveland includes 3,200 new homeowners, the housing stability services it provides annually to more than 60,000 individuals, and the development of 7,100 new homes. CHN is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks America network. http://www.chnhousingpartners.org

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