Cleveland is facing a shortage of quality housing, but solving it is not just about adding units. It is about making neighborhoods stronger for the people who live in them today.

The Housing Innovation District combines housing, infrastructure, neighborhood improvements, and economic opportunity into one coordinated strategy.

The Tools to Deliver:

Targeted investment through a TIF district.  
A tax increment financing (TIF) district allows the City to reinvest new growth back into the neighborhood. This specific TIF funds infrastructure improvements like streets, utilities, and public spaces that benefit both current and future residents. As the neighborhood grows, that value is captured and reinvested right where it’s needed most.  

Modern zoning through form-based code.
Instead of focusing only on land use, form-based code focuses on how buildings look, feel, and fit within a neighborhood. This ensures that new development complements existing homes, supports walkability, and reinforces the character that residents value, while making it easier to build quality housing.

Faster, incentivized permitting.
By reducing permit fees and streamlining approvals, the City is lowering barriers that often slow down or prevent housing development. This means projects can move forward more quickly, bringing new homes and neighborhood improvements online faster for residents.

An Innovative Housing Market Pilot.
The Innovative Housing Market Pilot is currently underway, bringing 32+ modular and stick-built homes, along with home repair and storefront renovation, to Hough and St. Clair Superior.

This work will be paired with a $10 million investment from the Bezos Earth Fund to turn vacant parcels into vibrant assets, and a recent investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies to speed up housing production.