EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — East Cleveland Council President Twon Billings and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley have spent the past month outlining the prolific blight that has plagued a three-block area of East Cleveland for several years, but now the Cuyahoga Land Bank is taking action.
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Dozens of vacant buildings and tons of illegal dumping line major sections of Chapman, Elderwood, Northfield and Page avenues, but the land bank announced a plan to launch a significant cleanup this summer.
The map below shows the cleanup areas:
Cuyahoga Land Bank President Gus Frangos told News 5 that his organization will start demolition on more than a dozen large, condemned apartment buildings this summer, utilizing some $4.1 million in funding from the Ohio Department of Development.
Frangos said the East Cleveland target plan also includes the removal of tons of debris and illegal dumping that have produced mountains of trash, which pose a real neighborhood health and safety risk.
O'Malley told News 5 he's also working on details that could commit Cuyahoga County resources to help with safety and security while the clean-up is taking place.
“There was discussion regarding how to secure the area, how to police it, and how make sure that this dumping, that has become all too common out there is put to an end," O'Malley said. “Between the residents and law enforcement I think we’re going to get the job done. If people are caught dumping they will be prosecuted, these are felony charges that come with periods of incarceration as well as large fines.”
Billings told News 5 he is extremely grateful both the Cuyahoga Land Bank and Ohio Department of Development are playing a huge role in jump-starting a crucial clean-up. Billings is hoping East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King, the city council and residents will have major input into how blight removal and redevelopment will take place in that neighborhood in the coming months and years.
“Anything that is going to give these residents relief is always good, I mean these buildings have been up for decades," Billings said. “When it comes to the redevelopment process we’re going to have to be at the table, if we’re not at the table then there’s no purpose in having a council there."
Billings said the land bank plan will be presented to East Cleveland city council during its March 5 meeting.
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