A Cuyahoga Community Land Trust home

Affordable Housing

For the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland, advocacy for Supportive Housing is a natural outgrowth of nearly a decade of work to increase affordable housing options in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. The Foundation first raised its voice to spotlight the city’s need for housing that would cost lower-income residents no more than 30% of their monthly income in 1998.

The significant outcomes of this effort include establishment of a new housing model for first-time, low-income homeowners, Cuyahoga Community Land Trust. Start-up funds were provided exclusively by the Sisters of Charity Foundation in 2001.

The Foundation’s support leveraged $275,000 in capital funding from other sources, and the organization has grown to provide six homes for owners who receive assistance during and after the buying process. The organization holds land in trust, reserving the homes for low-income buyers only. The homes represent a sustainable housing investment of more than $850,000.