Transforming
Dire to Desirable
Aired May
22, 2003
Thousands
of people in Cuyahoga County are desperate to get into subsidized
rental apartments, and remain on waiting lists. Despite the great
need, many of the available units are run down, unkempt, even
dangerous. While tenants are making great strides at improving
subsidized housing, ideastream's Janet Babin reports that a commitment
from a private owner can transform a site into a desirable place
to live.
At about
2:30 on a recent weekday afternoon, a group of children is trickling
into a Cleveland daycare and learning center. Librarian Kris Carroll
is fielding math homework from a 7-year-old, while helping 10-year
old Jelisa Johnson read her science homework.
Kris
Carroll: Sound it out Jelisa...
But instead
of being across town, this tutorial center is next door to where
the children live, reducing travel time for them and their parents.
It's located in the Kinsman neighborhood, on a large privately
owned subsidized housing complex called Rainbow Terrace. Only
a matter of months ago, this 30-acre property was a dangerous
slum. It was so dilapidated that the U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development forced the owners to give it up. Connecticut
Developer Arthur Greenblatt, co manager of Vesta Corporation,
purchased the complex in 2001. He's been rebuilding, and according
to HUD officials it's 73% complete and ahead of schedule. Six
new apartment buildings are up, and 14 apartment buildings have
been renovated. Initially HUD offered only $4 million to renovate
Rainbow Terrace, but Greenblatt says that wouldn't have been nearly
enough.
Arthur
Greenblatt: It took us awhile to convince HUD that
it would take more than $4 million, and that would only be a
band-aid, the grant was 11.7 million.
Vesta
also received a tax-exempt bond allocation from Cuyahoga County,
and a $13 million mortgage from HUD. The agency requires all new
owners of such buildings to install a neighborhood computer center,
but Greenblatt did more than that: he added the community center
that houses the daycare center and learning center and he's providing
a computer and high-speed internet access to each of Rainbow Terrace's
484 units, so long as residents complete a computer training program.
Greenblatt says the added perks are costing Vesta an additional
$2million.
Arthur
Greenblatt: One of our goals is to teach these kids
that they're smart before someone else tells them they're stupid,
and everybody really, that there are options out there, and
we hope to give them the tools to achieve those options.
The Kinsman
neighborhood property is in Cleveland Council President Frank
Jackson's ward. Jackson helped Greenblatt to secure the HUD funding,
and is thrilled with the job Vesta Corporation is doing. But he
questions why HUD allows subsidized properties like Rainbow Terrace,
to fall into such disrepair.
Frank
Jackson: The previous owner was allowed to get away
with allowing the property to go down to substandard conditions,
and then when owner finally left, HUD gave him a few million
dollars as he left!
HUD officials
refused to comment on the deal with Associated Estates Realty
Corporation, saying the transaction took place under a previous
administration. Similarly, the 800-unit Longwood Estates complex
in the Central neighborhood was shut down for numerous violations
in 1998. Ownership of Longwood passed to the Finch Group, and
the buildings were transformed into Arbor Park Village. Finch
Group chairman Wesley Finch says simply providing housing to lower
income families, is not enough to change lives.
Wesley
Finch: The people who are living here for the most
part have other issues and other problems they have to deal
with. And we need to give them an education so they have a skill
to work.
Both Finch
and Greenblatt are working with Cuyahoga Community College to
set up education programs for tenants. Tri-C's Tiffany Barnes
says the first GED studies classes at Rainbow Terrace get underway
later today.
Tiffany
Barnes: These are individuals who know that education
is a way to change their lives, to change their existence. Now
that they've found it, and are now seeking it out.
Barnes
says the program, begun last week, has created such a buzz that
more than 100 Rainbow Terrace tenants are on waiting lists for
the GED classes. Greenblatt's considering taking over subsidized
housing units in Columbus and Connecticut. In Cleveland, Janet
Babin, 90.3.
Support
for ideastream's coverage of Affordable Housing issues is provided
by the Sisters of Charity Foundation.
