MetroHealth Hopes New Clark-Fulton Housing Will Improve Community Health

MetroHealth broke ground this week on new affordable rental units and a job training center on Cleveland's west side.

The $60 million development is part of a plan to make Clark-Fulton, the neighborhood around the hospital, healthier, officials said.
 
"Health care isn't just about the medical care that you receive at the doctor's office, but it's having a healthy way of living,” said Greg Zucca, MetroHealth’s director of economic and community transformation.
 
The housing units are part of the hospital system's plans to address what’s known as the social determinants of health, or the factors outside of hospitals and doctor's offices that can impact a person’s health, like housing, careers, and where you live, he said.

"We understand that healthier doesn't just occur in the four walls of a hospital or a doctor's office,” Zucca said.

The four-story building is called Vía Sana, which means “healthy way,” in Spanish, and it’s expected to be completed in early 2022. [MetroHealth]

Located at the corner of W 25 ^th Street and Sackett Avenue, and it will have 72 units total with one-, two-, and three-bedrooms.

The residences will be available to individuals and families earning between 30-80 percent of the area’s median income.  
The first floor will house the Economic Opportunity Center, which will be operated in partnership with Cuyahoga Community College to provide job training, financial and digital literacy training, and access to Tri-C classes.

According to a news release, no taxpayer funds given to MetroHealth will be used in the project. Funding for the project came from KeyBank, the State of Ohio, and Cleveland’s Housing Trust Fund.

The new development is in Clark-Fulton, a neighborhood on Cleveland's west side. [Lisa Ryan / ideastream]

MetroHealth’s nonprofit affiliate CCH Development is partnering with developer The NRP Group on the project.

The entire three-building project will include more than 250 affordable and market-rate apartments, according to MetroHealth officials.