Advertisement

Looking At Blight In East Cleveland, A City Hit Hard By The Housing Crisis

06:58
Download Audio
Resume
A vacant home in Cleveland's Ward 8. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
A vacant home in Cleveland's Ward 8. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)

Something we're not hearing about, from politicians in either party, is the housing crisis. In many places it is not over — including Cleveland.

A new study from the Economic Innovation Group, an advocacy group, named Cleveland the most distressed large city in the U.S., when measured by the number of residents below the poverty line, the number not in the workforce and other factors.

Here & Now's Robin Young drives through East Cleveland, a city adjacent to Cleveland, with Jim Rokakis, director of the Thriving Communities Institute and a former Cuyahoga County treasurer.

Hear more of Here & Now's coverage from the Republican National Convention.

Follow the Here & Now election road trip on Tumblr.

More On Blight In East Cleveland

Jim Rokakis, director of the Thriving Communities Institute and a former local Democratic party official, drives on a tour through an East Cleveland, Ohio neighborhood hit hard by the housing crisis. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
Jim Rokakis, director of the Thriving Communities Institute and a former Cuyahoga County treasurer, takes Here & Now staff on a tour through an East Cleveland, Ohio neighborhood hit hard by the housing crisis. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
Vacant homes in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
Vacant homes in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
A vacant home seen through a car window in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
A vacant home seen through a car window in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
Vacant homes seen through a car window in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
Vacant homes seen through a car window in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Jill Ryan/Here & Now)
A vacant brick building in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Robin Young/Here & Now)
A vacant brick building in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Robin Young/Here & Now)
Vacant brick buildings in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Robin Young/Here & Now)
Vacant brick buildings in East Cleveland, Ohio. (Robin Young/Here & Now)

Guest

Jim Rokakis, former Democratic Cuyahoga County treasurer and director of the Thriving Communities Institute, which tries to demolish vacant properties. The organization is part of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy.

This segment aired on July 21, 2016.

Headshot of Robin Young

Robin Young Co-Host, Here & Now
Robin Young brings more than 25 years of broadcast experience to her role as host of Here & Now.

More…

Advertisement

More from Here & Now

Listen Live
Close