Council Meeting Highlights

Sep 25, 2023

Cleveland (Sept. 25, 2023) - City Council held its regular meeting tonight, both in person in Council Chambers and live streamed. The next meeting is Monday, Oct. 2^nd. Here are today’s highlights:

Redevelopment of Historic Hawthorne Elementary: Council approved a Tax Increment Financing Agreement (TIF) with Hawthorne Elementary Partners, LLC, to assist with the financing of the Hawthorne Elementary School Project to be located at 3575 West 130th Street. This will be a historic rehabilitation of the original school building, and will be listed on the

National Register of Historic Places. The school building will contain 36 apartments, ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms, and will have parking for residents. The building is in Ward 16, which is represented by Councilman Brian Kazy, who said the project is exciting and will have a huge impact in the neighborhood. The developer anticipates that 75% of units will have rents affordable for residents between 80%-100% of AMI. The developer will make payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District equal to the taxes that would have been paid for the parcel but for the TIF. Ord. No. 690-2023

Planning Cleveland’s Riverfront: Council approved a plan to implement a development and finance strategy to maximize public and private use along Cleveland’s riverfront, including Tower City, property between Huron Road and the riverfront, and property between Ontario Street and the riverfront. The development agreement is the first step in the City and Bedrock engaging cooperatively to plan and execute on the development strategy, understanding that this will take years. It is expected that developing the strategy will take 18 months or longer to be completed. This agreement does not authorize development incentives or City investment; those transactions would require future legislation. Ord. No. 787-2023

Internet for Residents at $18 a Month: Council passed legislation, they had greatly amended, allowing the city to enter into agreements with DigitalC for the deployment of a citywide broadband network and to provide related equipment and services to Cleveland residents. Council members, including Utilities Chair Brian Kazy, had amended the legislation to ensure that the funding is only approved based on performance. DigitalC must meet annual performance-based metrics in signing up customers and keeping them before receiving funding each year. Council had set aside $20 million in revenue recovery funding about two years ago to tackle the digital divide in Cleveland. Ord. No. 585-2023