Cuyahoga County, the city of Cleveland and Emerald Development and Economic Network, Inc., a foundation that provides housing services to people with housing insecurities, broke ground Wednesday on an expansion of an emergency shelter in Cleveland.
The more than $15 million project is designed to provide more personal space and amenities to those using the Norma Herr Women’s Center on Payne Avenue and East 23rd Street, said Elaine Gimmel, executive director of EDEN, during a groundbreaking event held Wednesday.
“It shows you that this is a problem we can actually solve in our city, if we are all aligned and if we have a sense of urgency to meet the moment,” said Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb.
The current shelter has “potential, but is too crowded,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “There's too many bodies next to one another. So, this expansion is about dignity. It's about the dignity of space and about a place that gives our residents new front doors.”
Norma Herr II will include more personal space with individual bathrooms, a computer lab, lounge areas, a dining space and a courtyard, according to a county media release.
“This building, which is part of the overall Norma Herr campus, will include rooms for 98 beds that will have its own attached bathroom,” Gimmel said.
Inhouse services such as medical care will be provided to residents at the new shelter, said Helen Forbes Fields, the president and CEO of the YWCA of Greater Cleveland, who operates the shelter. Office space for YWCA staff will also be provided.
“We know that living and working in a dignified humane setting will greatly enhance the mood, the morale, the behavior of our guests as well as retention of our staff,” she said.
Since 2018, the YWCA has provided shelter to more than 10,000 guests, she said.
A welcoming environment will help residents address mental health, substance abuse and financial challenges, said Melissa Sirak, Cuyahoga County's director of the office of homeless services.
“This shelter will be a gateway to long-term solutions in partnerships with community services,” Sirak said. “Residents will have access to job training, healthcare and housing assistance.”
County Councilmember Yvonne Conwell has listened to many of the women who have stayed at the shelter. Residents want better food, more programs and affordable housing opportunities, she said.
“Over the years the county and its partners have worked tirelessly to improve the conditions at Norma Herr, but the need for expansion and renovation has always been at the forefront of my mind,” Conwell said. "Today, that dream is becoming a reality."
American Rescue Act dollars were dedicated to the project at the city, county and federal level, said Kevin Laviano from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"Every incremental step that we do, every way we can leverage our federal funds at the local level to make a difference, makes an impact on a family and an individual's lives,” he said.
