Rendering of Emerald Senior, a new construction, permanent supportive housing development for seniors and senior veterans experiencing homelessness in Cleveland.
Cleveland, May 23, 2023 – CHN Housing Partners (CHN) announced today that it received Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) awards from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) for three developments– Emerald Senior, a new construction, permanent supportive housing development for seniors and senior veterans experiencing homelessness in Cleveland, Hope Homes, a 30-unit scattered site single-family development also in Cleveland, and Sunrise Neighborhood Living, a rehabilitation project of eleven scattered site properties for low-income individuals at risk of homelessness in Lorain County.
“We are deeply grateful to OHFA for recognizing the critical need for these developments in Northeast Ohio,” said Kevin J. Nowak, CHN’s executive director. “The funds generated by these awards will provide our residents stable, affordable housing, improve their quality of life, and for our single family residents, make affordable homeownership a reality.”
Emerald Senior and Hope Homes were also supported by members of Cleveland City Council and local community development groups.
“Many thanks to Council President Blaine Griffin, Councilman Kevin Conwell, Councilman Joe Jones, and Councilwoman Deborah Gray, as well as Burten, Bell Carr Development and Harvard Community Services Center, for their early support of these developments,” added Nowak. “Nothing we do is possible without the advocacy of our local elected officials and our CDC partners.”
Following are summaries of the three developments:
Emerald Senior (Cleveland): In the newest development in a decades-long partnership, CHN and EDEN are collaborating with Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to develop Emerald Senior on the East Side of Cleveland to support seniors and senior veterans experiencing homelessness. Built on long-vacant land, this 62-unit building will include private apartments to provide dignity and privacy to seniors in the community, a 24-hour staffed front desk and on-site supportive services including home-delivered meals, behavioral health and recreational programming for 37 senior citizens and 25 senior veterans. Emerald Senior is supported by Councilman Kevin Conwell, Ward 9, and Famicos Foundation.
Hope Homes (Cleveland): Part of CHN’s flagship Lease Purchase Program, a 15-year pathway to homeownership for families earning 60% or less of Area Median Income (AMI), Hope Homes will have 30 new single-family three-bedroom homes. The development will consist of approximately 27 two-story homes and three single-story accessible homes. The homes will be developed on vacant lots formerly held by the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga land banks in the Buckeye-Shaker, Mt. Pleasant and Lee-Harvard neighborhoods on Cleveland’s east side. Hope Homes will provide wrap-around services to residents to help them improve their education, career and physical and financial health. Hope Homes is supported by Council President Blaine Griffin, Ward 6, Councilman Joe Jones, Ward 1, and Councilwoman Deborah Gray, Ward 4, Harvard Community Services Center and Burten, Bell Carr Development.
Sunrise Neighborhood Living (Lorain, Elyria and Carlisle Township): Sunrise Neighborhood Living will include the rehabilitation of 11 scattered properties in Lorain County providing 36 apartments for low-income individuals at risk of homelessness. Thirty apartments will be subsidized through HUD Shelter Plus Care or Continuum of Care and will be affordable to households earning up to 30% of the AMI. Six apartments will have no project-based subsidy but will be affordable to households earning up to 50% of the AMI. All residents will be offered supportive services through the Nord Center. CHN will serve as developer, contractor and property manager in collaboration with CHN’s affiliate, New Sunrise Properties.
The LIHTC awards granted by OHFA provide CHN with a valuable financial resource, which makes it possible to attract additional private investments, secure financing and develop high-quality affordable housing. The tax credits not only promote the production of affordable homes but also stimulate economic growth, generate jobs and foster community development.
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, Pennsylvania and New York. 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 50,000 individuals, and the development of 7,000 new homes. CHN is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks America network. http://www.chnhousingpartners.org
