Westown Community Development Corporation

General/direct technical assistance to businesses including relocation, expansion, permits; certificate of occupancy; grant & loan assistance & packaging; marketing, zoning review and or zoning variances; design review, new signage, storefront renovation projects; wcdc has administrated over 54 storefront renovation project agreements leveraging over 3.1 mm in private/public investments in small business renovation stabilizing and growing jobs along the commercial corridors.

2. Housing stabilization: wcdc provides direct assistance in grants to tenants and homeowners for exterior and interior home repairs through its owned publicly funded grant /rebate program and its partnerships with several neo housing repair organizations

. Neighborhood beautification & environmental stewardship: vacant property cut/clean ups graffiti abatement commercial district clean ups: community service hours performed- in 2023 -1200 preserving & growing the tree canopy: wcdc maintains over 35 street trees; several street planters and streetscape furniture and public art along the main commercial corridor; wcdc currently provides environmental stewardship in its service area. Staff has completed training through north east ohio regional sewer district green infrastructure maintenance training program. Responsibilities include maintenance of (2) gig /bio retention garden & parking facility projects; in 2023 through its partnership with the cuyahoga county court community service program, wcdc is the 8th highest performing agency in the county based on total annual volunteer hours performed in 2023-24. This important work provide participants from our community the opportunity to defer fines, court costs and other expenses while performing important community service including area clean ups, landscaping and litter control. Wcdc also maintains (2) large former vacant and blighted city of cleveland land bank lots as "reimagined" gardens on mortimer & joan avenue; both are seeded with trees. Arborvitae, decorative fencing, native plantings; in 2024 a purple martin nesting and feeding station and decorative fencing was installed on the joan avenue garden. 4. Planning; wcdc has (3) historic districts in its service area and wcdc currently serves as an advisory member for the design review committee for permit approval process for large and small scale development projects. 5. Digital learning partnership with asc3; in 2023 (wcdc) partnered with ashbury senior computer community center (asc3) and pcs for people and established a new digital learning center (run by asc3 west) and an affordable computer retail store (run by pcs for people) to connect cleveland residents to computers, internet, and digital skills at 9926 lorain avenue-cleveland oh. The center was opened to address the digital divide in cleveland with marginalized communities facing limited access to affordable computers, internet, and digital skills, hindering their ability to fully participate in the digital age and access essential online services. Wcdc acquired the formerly vacant and blighted historic building and with support from the city of cleveland's department of economic development, it has been restored and redeveloped for adaptive reuse. This area has been identified by the cuyahoga county office of innovation and performance as a priority area to provide community outreach with a focus on overcoming barriers that limit residents from fully engaging in our digital society. Asc3 has trained more than 9,000 students, connected over 2,800 new broadband adopters, provided 2,200 new and refurbished devices for residents in greater cleveland, and also formed 60+ collaborations and partnerships, while celebrating 21 years of community service delivering empowering technology resources. Training includes but are not limited to digital literacy classes from basic to advanced skills in areas including email, internet navigation and online safety, health and financial literacy. Since 1998, pcs for people has become a national leader in digital inclusion by serving over 520,000 individuals, providing 190,000 home computers, connecting 77,000 households to the internet, and responsibly recycling over 9 million pounds of electronic waste through the secure e-waste recycling service.