Slavic Village Development facts for kids

Slavic Village Development (SVD) is a non-profit group that helps the North and South Broadway neighborhoods in Cleveland, Ohio. For over 22 years, SVD has invested about $160 million in these areas. They do this through different housing projects and community improvements.

What Slavic Village Development Does

Slavic Village Development works to make Slavic Village a great place to live. Their main goal is to keep the neighborhood strong and help it grow. They want to make sure there is good housing, fun places to play, and excellent schools. They also support local businesses and cultural spots.

A Look at SVD's History

Slavic Village Development is a non-profit group with over 25 years of experience. They have been helping to build and improve the Broadway Slavic Village community in southeast Cleveland. This area has about 30,000 people. In the past, it was a community where many people worked in factories. Over time, it faced challenges like job losses and older homes. Now, it is becoming a diverse and affordable place for families to live.

SVD's Community Projects

Slavic Village Development has a long history of successful projects. They have helped build or fix over 1,000 homes. This includes a large planned community with more than 200 homes. They also worked on many apartment buildings and over 400 homes for families who needed affordable housing.

Improving Life in the Neighborhood

In recent years, SVD has focused on improving the daily lives of people in the community. They do this by bringing people together and organizing activities. These activities help with things like youth programs, making the area safer, and providing fun recreation.

Parks and Green Spaces

Arts programs, like public art, concerts, and festivals, have become very important. SVD has also helped create new parks and green spaces. In 2006, they opened the Morgana Run Bike Trail. This is a 3-mile trail built on an old rail line. SVD also created a new park and a history center near the Mill Creek waterfall. They even connected the Morgana Trail to the Ohio Erie Canal Towpath, which is a huge trail system nearby.

How SVD Helped During the Housing Crisis

Cleveland was hit very hard by a housing crisis earlier than many other cities in the United States. In 2007, one part of Slavic Village (zip code 44105) was called the "hardest hit" area in the country.

Why the Crisis Hit Slavic Village Hard

One reason for the problems in Slavic Village was that the neighborhood was starting to get better. Home prices were slowly going up, and the area was getting a better reputation. This attracted some lenders who were not fair. They would buy homes that needed work, make small fixes, and then sell them for much more than they were worth. This made home prices seem higher than they truly were.

When people bought these homes for too much money, they often couldn't afford to fix them. Many homes were left empty and started to fall apart. These empty homes could become unsafe.

SVD's Response to the Crisis

Slavic Village Development worked hard to fight these problems. They partnered with other groups and local leaders. They created a program called "Opportunity Homes." This program helped people avoid losing their homes. It also involved tearing down old, unsafe houses and fixing up good homes that were empty.

Many of the homes they fixed were originally "doubles" (two homes in one building). SVD changed them into single homes and added extra yard space by using empty lots next door. This made the homes more modern and appealing. They also helped families with financing. If a family had trouble getting a loan, SVD offered a "lease option." This allowed families to rent the home while they worked to improve their credit score.

SVD also worked on making the neighborhood "smaller and smarter." They changed zoning rules to help businesses and industries. They built the bike trail on an old rail line and created new park entrances. They also built new sports fields for two high schools that didn't have outdoor facilities before. SVD is also creating green areas, bringing back native plants, and expanding community gardens. All these efforts help transform the neighborhood, block by block.

The "Mr. Blue" Project

The "Mr. Blue" project started in 2006. Slavic Village Development wanted to make empty, boarded-up homes look more welcoming. SVD worked with community groups to paint cheerful pictures on the boards covering windows and doors. They painted things like pies cooling, sleeping cats, and flower vases. The project got its name from a special blue person painted on all the boarded doors, as if waving hello. This helped make the streets feel less empty and more hopeful.