CLEVELAND — As the oldest agency of its kind in America, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority helps put a roof over the heads of tens of thousands of low-income Cuyahoga County residents each year.
But records showing how much CMHA spent to celebrate the agency’s 90th anniversary last fall have some questioning the agency’s priorities.
“Makes me sick to my stomach to hear,” said Tynita Anderson. The 55-year-old shares a Warrensville Heights apartment with a friend.
Disabled after undergoing surgery for a brain tumor in 2012, Anderson said she lives off $928 a month she receives from social security.
“You’re trying to figure out how you’re going to make it from day one of this month to day one of next month,” said Anderson. “Every single day.”
Anderson is one of 10,000 people on CMHA’s wait list for public housing.
Nearly 15,000 families are waiting for housing vouchers, according to CMHA records.
Anderson said she first applied for help in 2017.
Checking for emails or letters from the housing agency is now part of her daily routine.
Boxes are stacked in the apartment, waiting for news she’s been accepted.
CMHA’s online portal shows she’s on three separate wait lists.
She said it’s a testament to how difficult finding quality, affordable housing is in Northeast Ohio.
“Tough, tough,” said Anderson. “And I did not know until I became a person in need of affordable housing.”
What she didn’t know was that as she waited, CMHA celebrated.
Social media posts showed a who’s who of Northeast Ohio leaders gathered inside the Hilton Hotel in downtown Cleveland last September for a gala hosted by CMHA to celebrate the agency’s 90th anniversary.
According to records obtained by News 5 Investigators, the price tag for the celebration was $121,249.
“There has always been a lot of people that are waiting for affordable housing because the number of people that are in need of affordable housing continues to grow by the day,” said CMHA CEO Jeffery Patterson.
We asked Patterson about the optics of spending money on a gala instead of on housing people.
“You are saying it’s just spending money on a gala,” said Patterson. “This was an opportunity for employees, resident leaders, people who have committed to serving housing over the past 90 years to learn, reflect and have the opportunity to get motivated, staying re-engaged, because it’s a challenge every day.”
But the idea of $88-a-plate short rib and garlic-smeared chicken dinners for 750 people seems ridiculous to Anderson.
She said the price of one meal at the gala equals two weeks of groceries for her.
“Oh, I can do a lot of magic with $88,” said Anderson. “Not because I want to. I have to.”
When asked if the gala was over the top, Patterson said it was a large event that allowed a lot of people to enjoy themselves.
But some CMHA residents questioned the spending.
Receipts showed CMHA spent $6,000 on decorations, nearly $4,500 for awards, and more than $2,500 for take-home crystal paperweights for attendees.
That’s on top of the cost of the band, DJ, $949 for a red carpet and photo booth, and $1,500 for balloons.
“Ain’t that a killer?” said Daniel Walker. “I don’t believe that. God dog.” Walker said he can’t get hot water in his Apthorp Towers apartment in East Cleveland.
Outside CMHA’s Riverview Tower in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, Ernest Pennington said the spending didn’t make sense.
“It’s ridiculous,” said Pennington. “I mean they could be spending money more on safety issues.”
Realistically, the $121,000 CMHA spent isn’t enough to fix the county’s affordable housing issues, said Josiah Quarles, Director of Organizing and Advocacy with Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.
But he said CMHA throwing a gala at a downtown hotel seems tone-deaf.
“I don’t know that fancy dinners look great when you’ve got food deserts and people are struggling to put food on their table and inflation is skyrocketing,” said Quarles. “I think it’s hard when you’re struggling and folks are partying, and they’re supposed to be the providers for your stability — like, that’s challenging.”
So, where did the money come from?
CMHA said ticket sales, sponsorships and donations combined to raise $119,398.
That wasn’t enough to cover the cost. A spokesperson said the difference was paid using CMHA funds.
But a review of the records revealed something else. It wasn’t corporate donors footing the bill for the gala.
Instead, records show nearly half of the money raised came from two agencies tied to CMHA.
That included $5,000 from its tenant housing organization, which gets its funding through CMHA.
Another $50,000 came from CMHA’s non-profit arm, Western Reserve Revitalization and Management Company.
According to its tax filing, Western Reserve’s mission is to “aid in planning, undertaking, construction and operation of housing projects within Cuyahoga County.”
“I don’t think it’s particularly mission-aligned,” said Quarles when asked about the donation.
Patterson is vice president of Western Reserve. His signature also appeared on the CMHA email soliciting sponsorships.
Patterson said he didn’t see the donation as conflicting with the Western Reserve’s mission and didn’t see it as a case of the left hand giving the right hand money.
“Well, I don’t think that the money that was given by Western Reserve was given directly by one individual,” said Patterson. “It’s given directly by the Western Reserve board.”
Patterson admitted not only is he a member of the board, but that everyone on the board has ties to CMHA.
He could not recall if he recused himself from the vote to approve donating $50,000 to the agency he runs.
So, we checked the meeting minutes from the non-profit.
There was no indication Patterson did not take part in that vote.
It did show, however, that the $50,000 donation was approved on Oct. 10, 2023, nearly one month after the gala took place.
We asked Patteson what he would tell somebody who thinks the money spent on the gala was wasted and could have gone to helping families find housing instead.
“I can understand their perspective,” said Patterson.
“Do you agree with their perspective?” News 5 Investigators asked.
“I can understand their perspective,” said Patterson.
“But do you agree,” we asked.
“I can understand their perspective,” said Patterson again.
But Anderson doubts it.
“Nobody cares,” she said.
She believes CMHA leadership is out of touch with the community they’re supposed to help.
“Uncover it all,” said Anderson. “Please. Somebody needs to help people.”
She said what we found doesn’t pass the smell test.
“It’s all garbage,” said Anderson. “It’s all garbage.”
As she waits by her phone for any news that she’s been accepted for the housing help she needs, Anderson said CMHA needs to take another look at how the agency spends its money.
“There’s people living on the street on this waiting list and they want a place to live,” said Anderson. “They need a place to live. While they’re out gallivanting at the Hilton.”
