CHN Housing Partners, a NeighborWorks network organization in Cleveland, Ohio, is creating a new apartment building that will help parents as they go through college. The Cleveland Scholar House, which will provide housing and services for single parents on a college path, will be funded through Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. The credits should generate $9 million of the project's cost, according to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.
While CHN will partner with a number of organizations, the nonprofit will serve as owner, developer and property manager. CHN will also manage supportive services, following models used for Scholar Houses in Columbus and Cincinnati. Construction should begin in spring and the property should be ready to begin housing residents by Summer 2023, says Jillian Watson Esposito, CHN's assistant director of real estate development. The apartment homes will be located between Cleveland State University and Cuyahoga Community College."We want to remove barriers for the scholars and provide an enriching learning experience for their children," Esposito explains. "The Scholar House model does that by pairing affordable housing with wrap-around academic and support services. It's a model that can work to break the cycle of multigenerational poverty and create economic mobility."
Other scholar houses, like those in Cincinatti and Columbus, have had success. In Kentucky, another state that has scholar houses, officials found the housing made a real difference, says Kristie Adams, chief learning officer of Family Scholar House. "To date our families have earned over 630 degrees." Among Scholar House alumni, they have an attorney, medical doctors, a mayor and more.
Other scholar houses, like those in Cincinatti and Columbus, have had success. In Kentucky, another state that has scholar houses, officials found the housing made a real difference, says Kristie Adams, chief learning officer of Family Scholar House. "To date our families have earned over 630 degrees." Among Scholar House alumni, they have an attorney, medical doctors, a mayor and more.
According to Kate Carden, director of financial mobility for CHN, services will include daycare and working with parents on career exploration and academics. They'll also work with residents to see what else they want on site, such as counseling services. Other services may be made available offsite.
Programming at the Scholar House will center around both children and parents, Carden says, "making it truly a multi-generational program. We've never really brought it all together under one program, one roof. Now we are."
This is not the organization's first foray into supportive housing. Since 2002, CHN has been a partner in Cuyahoga County's Housing First Initiative, with supportive apartment homes for people coming out of homelessness.
And they may replicate Scholar House in the future if outcomes are as predicted. Cleveland State University reports that hundreds of students fit the dependent and income status needed to apply for this housing. "We'll have 40 units," says Esposito.
And they may replicate Scholar House in the future if outcomes are as predicted. Cleveland State University reports that hundreds of students fit the dependent and income status needed to apply for this housing. "We'll have 40 units," says Esposito.
The building is being custom designed for the occupants. Instead of being L-shaped, which would save money on construction, the building will be U-shaped with a courtyard and outdoor playground, Esposito shares. The childcare center will be in close proximity. Meanwhile, a community room will face the playground so parents can keep an eye on their children. Inside, a workspace sits next to a playroom, again, so parents can be close to their children while doing what they need to do academically.
"We've been excited about this for a number of years," says Laura Boustani, director of communications and fundraising, adding that it took three attempts before they received one of the state's competitive LIHTC awards. "One of the university presidents told us, 'You can easily build 10 of these and you'd have the people to fill them.'"
CHN first began looking into a Scholar House five years ago. "This is much more than a real estate development project," says Kevin J. Nowak, CHN's executive director. "CHN has been doing affordable housing for nearly 40 years. This project is one of a kind. It's one of collaboration and commitment to breaking the cycle of poverty, which our community has embraced."
For other network organizations that might consider housing for parent scholars, Esposito suggests:
- Make sure there's a "convener," someone to keep the project moving.
- Choose partners who are educators and partners who are social service providers
- Consider the daycare component. CHN will provide some of the daycare on site, but purposely chose a location adjacent to an existing daycare center, too.
Core partners include United Way, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), Cleveland State University (CSU) and Step Forward.
"Scholar House is important to the United Way because of the intergenerational approach, targeting low-income children and parents in the same house," says Danielle Crawford, United Way of Cleveland's director of evaluation and learning. "It's a way to interrupt the cycle of poverty. And we know there's definitely a need. Across the country, 1.7 million single mothers are part of college communities working toward a degree that could change their lives and future."
"Scholar House is important to the United Way because of the intergenerational approach, targeting low-income children and parents in the same house," says Danielle Crawford, United Way of Cleveland's director of evaluation and learning. "It's a way to interrupt the cycle of poverty. And we know there's definitely a need. Across the country, 1.7 million single mothers are part of college communities working toward a degree that could change their lives and future."
