Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Investing In The Middle: A New Approach To Deliver On The Promise Of Equitable Neighborhood Development, Molly Schnoke, Shannon Driscoll, Madeline Frantz

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Economic Development at Cleveland State University, through the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Policies for Action Grant, has been conducting research into middle neighborhoods. As part of its ongoing research, the Center organized the Investing in the Middle forum to present the work the team has done and gain insight into policy and best practices from members of the community. The workshop took place on November 20, 2022 at the Cleveland State University Levin College of Public Affairs and Education.

Pandemic-Related Business Assistance, July 2021, Iryna Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Scott A. Corsi

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The CARES Act is the largest stimulus package passed in the United States to date. On 12/27/2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed, providing $900 billion in stimulus relief for the pandemic. Another 1.4 trillion in spending helped plan the 2021 federal fiscal year. On 3/11/2021, the American Rescue Plan was passed providing an additional $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus to further aid the country through the ongoing pandemic. The pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in unemployment, the closing or suspension of operations for many businesses, a drastic reduction in the capacity to produce many goods and services, and …

Pandemic-Related Housing Assistance, July 2021, Iryna V. Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Scott A. Corsi

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

On 12/27/2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed, providing $900 billion in stimulus relief. Another 1.4 trillion in spending helped plan the 2021 federal fiscal year. On 3/11/2021, the American Rescue Plan passed providing an additional $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus to further aid the country through the ongoing pandemic. The pandemic has damaged not only health systems, but social and economic systems as well. One effect of COVID-19 has been mass housing instability, which is predominantly due to evictions. Many people have lost their jobs, in part or altogether, due to COVID-19, leaving residents with little income to pay …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: New Residential Centers, Iryna V. Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Shneur Kushner

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development examined the structural and policy factors of economic growth in mid-sized metropolitan areas (MSAs). The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique to identify five factors influencing mid-sized regional economies: 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. These factors also contribute to changes in regional employment, gross regional product (output), and per capita income. This brief outlines the initial analysis’ primary takeaways related to New Residential Centers and explores how Northeast Ohio can incorporate successful policies and …

Pandemic-Related Business Assistance, February 2021, Iryna V. Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Erica Henrichsen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The pandemic has caused an unprecedented increase in unemployment, the closing or suspension of operations for many businesses, a drastic reduction in the capacity to produce many goods and services, and a significant reduction of disposable household income. To assist with these economic emergencies, federal, state, and local governments have passed legislation to aid households and businesses, including some programs for nonprofits. This brief groups the actions of all levels of government into four categories: general business support, small business support, industry-specific support, and unemployment benefits for individuals. The subsequent sections offer a summary of each program and a link …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Innovation & Talent, Iryna V. Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Nora Walsh

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development includes a model for understanding and predicting economic growth in U.S. mid-sized regional economies to analyze structural and policy-based factors among similar regions. The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique to identify the influences in mid-sized regional economies. This statistical analysis found five factors influencing the mid-sized regional economies reviewed for this report. They are 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. This was followed by an analysis to determine the relationship between these factors and …

City Of Lorain Comprehensive Housing Assessment And Needs Analysis, Kirby Date, Charlie Post, Rachel Riemenschneider

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The City of Lorain, a city of 63,000 along the Lake Erie waterfront at the mouth of the Black River in Lorain County, Ohio, is a revitalizing Legacy City with both opportunities and challenges in enhancing its ability to ensure a decent, affordable home in a quality neighborhood for every Lorain resident. This housing study was undertaken by the Center for Community Planning and development at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, acting as consultant to the City of Lorain. The purpose of the study is to provide the City with recommended priorities and …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Entrepreneurship Policy, Iryna V. Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Shneur Kushner

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

A recent report conducted by the Center for Economic Development discussed the structural and policy factors of economic growth in mid-sized U.S. economies and included an analysis of similar regions. The Center used factor analysis as a data-reduction technique and identified five factors influencing mid-sized regional economies: 1) Innovation and Talent, 2) Entrepreneurship in High-Cost Areas, 3) New Residential Centers, 4) Retirement Destinations, and 5) Polarization. An analysis determined the relationship between these factors and the changes in regional employment, gross regional product (output), and per capita income. This brief outlines the initial analysis primary takeaways as it relates to …

City Of Lorain Comprehensive Housing Assessment And Needs Analysis: Appendices, Kirby Date, Charlie Post, Rachel Riemenschneider

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Pandemic Related Housing Assistance, December 2020, Iryna V. Lendel, Molly Schnoke, Erica Henrichsen

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The COVID-19 disease has resulted in a worldwide pandemic. Over 85 million worldwide confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in a single year (2020) with more than 1.8 million of those cases resulting in death. The United States reported over 20 million confirmed cases in 2020 with over 300,000 deaths. This is a public health crisis that has resulted in widespread government response including event cancellations/prohibitions, stay-at-homes orders, the closure of nonessential businesses, and more. Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio declared a state of emergency on 3/9/2020 immediately following the first case reported in the state. On 3/13/2020, President …

Chester Township Community Questionnaire Summary Report, Kirby Date, Molly Schnoke, Rachel Lefebre

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Community Planning and Development at CSU’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs was engaged by Chester Township to assist with conducting a Community Questionnaire. CSU’s role was to work with the Township in developing the questionnaire; and then receiving and analyzing the responses. The questionnaire was mailed to all resident addresses in the Township in May of 2020; responses were received and analyzed during June, July and August. To keep the cost low, the questionnaire was not designed to be a statistically calibrated survey, but rather a questionnaire which would enable the community to get a …

Moving Cleveland Above The Trend: Benchmarking Regional Performance (Report), Iryna V. Lendel, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Jinhee Yun, Nora Walsh

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

When analyzing economic development, we must consider both the factors that can be changed through policy and those that cannot. This report includes our model for understanding and predicting economic growth in U.S. mid-sized regional economies to analyze structural and policy-based factors among similar regional economies. Our research used a multi-stage process that involved collecting 43 variables on a variety of topics that are associated with regional growth, such as educational attainment, business composition, regional assets, and quality of life. In total, our mid-sized regional economies encompass 135 metro areas, and includes populations spanning from 352,823 to 3.9 million. We …

Greater University Circle Initiative: Year 7 Evaluation Report, Molly Schnoke, Merissa Piazza, Heather Smith, Liam Robinson

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Greater University Circle Economic Inclusion (GUCI) Initiative has surpassed a decade of existence by connecting neighborhoods, businesses, and leaders throughout seven neighborhoods that encompass Greater University Circle (GUC) in Cleveland, Ohio. This initiative was first assembled by the Cleveland Foundation in 2005 to bring together the three major anchor institutions located in these neighborhoods (Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals Health System) to convene and meet shared goals by harnessing their collective economic power. It is important to recognize that in many other anchor initiatives in other parts of the country, initiatives are brought by …

Feasibility Analysis: Borderlight International Theatre Festival, Merissa Piazza, Molly Schnoke, Nick F. Zingale, Iryna Lendel

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

BorderLight International Theater Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established to launch a summer festival of contemporary international theater in Cleveland beginning in July 2019. Co-directors Dale Heinen and Jeffrey Pence have spearheaded BorderLight’s inception and programming. BorderLight is conceptualized in its debut form as a four-day international theater festival located in Cleveland, Ohio.1 It will include curated performances by international, national, and local artists—as well as an independent fringe festival—and will focus on engagement with underserved audiences and communities.2 This makes BorderLight a bifurcated theater festival, which is a combination of a curated and uncurated festival whereby some content is …

Our Pathway To A Brighter Future: Ohio’S New Americans, Allison Herre, Eugenio Mollo Jr., Lourdes Narváez Soto, Richey Piiparinen, Manju Sankarappa, Guadalupe Velasquez

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Our Pathway to a Brighter Future: Ohio’s New Americans explores Ohio’s immigrant history and the lives of immigrants living here today. It relies on data collected by federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as information generated locally. The report does not represent the official views of any of the entities involved in its production.

The Healing Economy: An Economic Development Framework For Cleveland, Richey Piiparinen, Jim Russell, Valdis Krebs

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

• The Cleveland metro has the densest health science labor market in the nation, with 14.5% of the region’s workforce employed in high-skilled healthcare delivery. Cleveland is ahead of Philadelphia (14.1%) and Boston (14.1%).
• Since 2002, healthcare and social assistance jobs in Cuyahoga County increased from approximately 104,500 to 131,700, with the aggregate income from those jobs growing from an inflation-adjusted $4.8 billion to $6.9 billion in 2016.
• A significant amount of Cuyahoga County’s healthcare jobs are clustered in Cleveland’s Health Tech Corridor. In 2003, 26.4% of all healthcare and social assistance jobs in Cuyahoga County were in the Health Tech …

Variety Village District Economic Analysis: Retail Market Expansion, Economic Impact, And Fiscal Impact, Robert A. Simons, Kirby Date, Georgina Figueroa, N. Colt Ossoff, Mattias Amoroso

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This study outlines the economic and fiscal impacts of the redevelopment of the Variety Village District, comprised of the Variety Theatre Complex, a new public parking lot, and 40,000 square feet of new retail along Lorain Avenue. In addition, as shown in the full report, a portion of the location decision for at least three local industries which are moving to, or expanding their enterprise in, the immediate Westown neighborhood, can be attributed to the catalytic effect of the Variety Village District redevelopment.

From Metal To Minds: Economic Restructuring In The Rust Belt, Richey Piiparinen, Jim Russell, Charlie Post

Richey Piiparinen

No abstract provided.

Fleet Avenue Revitalization Strategy, Robert A. Simons, Kirby Date, Georgina Figueroa, N. Colt Ossoff

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Slavic Village Development, Inc., the nonprofit community development corporation in the Slavic Village neighborhood of Cleveland, engaged the Center for Community Planning and Development at Cleveland State University to assist with a revitalization strategy for Fleet Avenue. The study team was charged to work with SVD leaders and the neighborhood’s City Councilman, Tony Brancatelli, to evaluate market opportunities for food production businesses and local retail, and to develop an overall parcel-by-parcel strategy for commercial rehabilitation, and new commercial and housing infill on the street.

Center For Population Dynamics Quarterly Brief September 2017: Repopulating Cleveland From The Inside Out, Richey Piiparinen, Thomas Bier, Charlie Post, Mark J. Salling Phd, Gisp

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

How can Cleveland repopulate? Generally, there are two theories of thought: by focusing on regional economic development, so that people follow jobs; and by focusing on local economic development, particularly in housing and quality of place. Here, jobs follow people.

While the oft-heard question in city building is whether people follow jobs or jobs follow people, recent research suggest it is likely both. Cleveland needs both a jobs strategy and a housing strategy to incur repopulation. This report brief sketches out the framework of a housing strategy, while an upcoming report by The Center for Population Dynamics called “The Healing …

Ten Years Of Foreclosure Prevention In Cuyahoga County, Molly Schnoke

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Responding To Foreclosures In Cuyahoga County 2016 Update: Tenth Annual Report January 1 - December 31, 2016, Kathryn W. Hexter, Molly Schnoke

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Levin College of Urban Affairs has been the evaluation and research partner for the Cuyahoga County Foreclosure Prevention Program (CCFPP) since the program was adopted in 2006. This report is an update to the County for 2016. The evaluation tracks progress and provides feedback about the program that can be used to improve and adapt it to meet the rapidly changing state and national context surrounding foreclosures.

Since the program began in 2006, the Cuyahoga County foreclosure prevention program has served a total of 29,135 homeowners at the five participating counseling agencies. In 2016 alone, 901 households were counseled. …

Preparing For Growth: An Emerging Neighborhood Market Analysis Commissioned By Mayor Frank G. Jackson For The City Of Cleveland, Richey Piiparinen, Kyle Fee, Charlie Post, Jim Russell, Mark J. Salling Phd, Gisp, Thomas Bier

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

In anticipation of the development of a Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, in 2016, Mayor Frank G. Jackson commissioned Cleveland State University’s Center for Population Dynamics to analyze the City of Cleveland housing market. The resulting study, “Preparing for Growth,” provides a foundation for the Mayor’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative acknowledging neighborhoods where private investment is strong but, and most significantly, identifying emerging neighborhood markets where focused planning and the leverage of public dollars will attract private investment to the benefit of existing residents and businesses in these neighborhoods.

Greater University Circle Initiative: Year 6 Evaluation Report, Kathryn W. Hexter, Candi Clouse, Nick Downer, Liam Robinson

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Greater University Circle Economic Inclusion Initiative is a unique multi-anchor, place-based effort to revitalize the seven neighborhoods that comprise Greater University Circle (GUC) in Cleveland, Ohio. Convened in 2005 by the Cleveland Foundation, it involves three anchor institutions: The Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Health System, along with the city of Cleveland and many other partners. This sixth evaluation report highlights the group’s major accomplishments and challenges, and looks to the future of this unique initiative. The report also tracks progress toward meeting the goals set forth at the outset: Buy Local, Hire Local, Live …

The Economic Value Of Tree Preservation In A Weak Land Development Market Region, Wendy A. Kellogg, Brian Mikelbank, Robert Laverne, Kathryn W. Hexter

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

New residential development is most often a death sentence for the trees that stand in its way. This behavior might be altered if developers thought there was an economic value to being more selective. Unfortunately, the relationship between tree preservation and new development is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to characterize the economic value gained from the preservation of mature trees during the land development process. The study focused on six counties constituting the greater Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., real estate and land development market. A mixed quantitative and qualitative approach was used. GIS-based data and a …

City Of Oberlin, Comprehensive Housing Study And Needs Analysis, Kirby Date, Kathryn W. Hexter, Charlie Post, N. Colt Ossoff, Arleesha Wilson

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

The Center for Community Planning and Development was engaged by the City of Oberlin, Ohio to develop a comprehensive housing needs assessment. A fact-finding study with recommendations, it is intended to support future policy discussion and visioning as part of the City’s planned comprehensive plan process in the coming year. This study was completed with input and guidance from the City and a Housing Study Steering Committee of community stakeholders, a Community Open House, and interviews with residents, workers, business owners, and community leaders. Data analysis demonstrated a need for additional housing for low-income families, starter housing for younger households, …

Housing Impact Of Shale Development In Eastern Ohio Update: February 2017, Iryna Lendel, Kathryn W. Hexter, Charlie Post, Nick Downer, Nate Hoover, Sydney Martis

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

This quarterly update of the Housing Impact of Shale Drilling Study and Dashboard includes indicators measuring oil and gas shale development activities in the fourth quarter and indicators measuring the housing market in third quarter of 2016. As with previous reports and dashboards, the companion documents were prepared by a team of researchers from Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs (CSU) for the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) to monitor the impact of the Utica shale development in Ohio on housing affordability and availability in eight counties of eastern Ohio where the core upstream and midstream activities of …

Center For Population Dynamics Quarterly Brief January 2017: Transportation’S Role In The Economic Restructuring Of Cleveland, Richey Piiparinen, Jim Russell

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

Transportation is the vessel for the movement of people. Migration is the actual movement of people. Both transportation and migration are dictated by the economic eras of which they are a part. These economic eras are most simply illustrated by showing the type of work people did across our nation’s history. Nearly 70% of the nation was employed in agriculture in the 1840s. Fast forward to 1930 and employment in mining, manufacturing, and construction—categorized as “industry” employment—surpassed farm work, with industrial jobs peaking in 1960. Then, the era transitioned into a knowledge economy dominated by the proliferation of ideas and …

Eastern Ohio Shale & Housing Dashboard - January 1, 2017, Iryna Lendel, Kathryn W. Hexter, Charlie Post, Nick Downer, Nate Hoover, Sydney Martis

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

No abstract provided.

Neighborhood Retail Commercial Study: Cleveland, Ohio, Kirby Date, Robert A. Simons, Matthew Martin Thomas, Larry Laprade, Rachel Oscar

All Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs Publications

While affordable housing is the foundation of neighborhood revitalization, retail commercial development is also a pressing development issue facing urban legacy city neighborhoods. Retail opportunity in urban legacy city neighborhoods has been decimated over many years as population has declined, and competing commercial centers have blossomed. And yet, retail commercial development holds opportunities for local community resident investment and entrepreneurship, training of youth and others in entry-level jobs, and creation of vibrant opportunities for resident and business interaction.

This project was defined to answer some critical questions about retail development in urban neighborhoods. What are the typical urban shopping patterns, …