Shorb neighborhood revitalization efforts in full swing

CANTON − Three newly constructed houses, eight renovated residences and a community center. Those are what Canton For All People intends to accomplish in the greater Shorb neighborhood this year.

In the past eight months, the community development corporation created by Crossroads United Methodist Church and the Lemmon and DeHoff family foundations has purchased 11 properties, demolishing two that were not safe to renovate, said Don Ackerman, lead pastor at Crossroads and executive director of Canton For All People.

"Primarily, we're here to rebuild the neighborhood," he said.

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The city and Canton For All People each produced their own studies on the greater neighborhood around Shorb Avenue NW about two years ago with plans to improve housing, safety and the quality of life for residents. Working in partnership, they demolished the problematic Canton Inn in November.

Canton For All People has continued to lead revitalization efforts in the greater Shorb area, which it defines as Tuscarawas Street W to 12th Street NW and McKinley Avenue NW to the railroad in the west. The goal is to renovate 300 properties within 10 years.

"Outside of providing funding assistance, the overall master plan and being supportive of Canton For All People ― and any other developer that would want to come into the neighborhood to fix it up we would support ― we're not doing any additional plans right now ourselves as the city," Canton Planning Director Donn Angus said.

The city gave $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the organization's housing renovations and its support of the group's application for low-income housing tax credits at the former Canton Inn site.

Ackerman said Canton For All People will apply for 9% tax credits from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency to construct a 54-unit apartment complex. The competitive tax credits are awarded in May.

Turning blighted properties into homes

Omari Allen, who works part-time for Canton For All People, lived in a duplex before it was purchased by the organization and said the ownership change improved his living conditions tremendously. He began volunteering for the group in September and was hired about a week later to maintain and help renovate the nonprofit's properties.

With the help of grants, Canton For All People employs two full-time and two part-time employees for $19 an hour with full benefits and a pension.

"We're trying to get more grants this year to bring more full-time workers on," Ackerman said.

The typical property that the group buys is not occupied and has city code violations. It costs about $100,000 overall to buy and renovate the properties, Ackerman said. About one-third will become affordable rentals, but most will be re-sold to families earning 80% of the area median income or less ― up to $43,050 for a single person and up to $61,500 for a four-person household, according to the 2022 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data for the Canton-Massillon metro area.

Crossroads United Methodist Church, Huntington Bank and KeyBank have helped fund the renovations, along with the city of Canton. Their focus has been properties along Ninth Street NW.

"We try to modernize the houses the best we can," Ackerman said.

So far, the construction crew has completed renovations on a duplex unit and single-family house. They already are rented.

A housing interest form is available at cantonforallpeople.org.

Shorb Neighborhood Market and Resource Center

In addition to the housing renovations, Canton For All People purchased a former commercial building at 603 Shorb Ave. NW and recently began converting it into the Shorb Neighborhood Market and Resource Center.

"We still have some fundraising to do to bring all the partners and capital together to get it done, but we are planning to move the Canton Fresh Market out of the church," Ackerman said.

The resource center is estimated to cost nearly $200,000 and will be funded by Crossroads, private donors and grants. Ackerman hopes to have it complete by fall. The market served more than 17,000 people in the past year at the church, 120 Cleveland Ave. SW.

The center will allow for a larger market, which provides access to healthy food in partnership with the Akron-Canton Foodbank, and space for community gatherings and potential classes in partnership with other area organizations.

All-encompassing community programs

Canton For All People has several Shorb-area programs that form a holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization.

There's a repair program to help current homeowners with exterior repairs. Mike Farmer, the nonprofit's managing director, said seven homeowners took advantage of that last year.

"We did things last year like porches and roofs and some siding," he said.

If there are exterior code violations, he said, then the group works with the Community Building Partnership, which has its own exterior renovation grant program.

In partnership with the United Way of Greater Stark County, they also have installed Ring doorbell cameras and paid for a year of subscriptions at 50 residences in the Shorb area. Then there's Canton Kids! ― a free summer program for two hours during weekdays in downtown parks and playgrounds ― and a September block party on Shorb Avenue NW that will become an annual event.

Gino Haynes, community organizer for Canton For All People, has helped establish tenant unions in the area, including at Cherrie Turner Towers, with assistance from Community Legal Aid and funding from United Way.

"When bigger entities and organizations go to figure out the voices of this neighborhood, they typically go to those neighborhood meetings, which only are the homeowners," he said, noting that renters comprise 75% of the greater Shorb neighborhood.

Haynes said a leadership academy began in January for residents who can then apply for a micro-grant to fund any resulting ideas to improve the community. United Way also helps fund the academy and block party.

The group also held a recent community meeting in Spanish as part of its outreach to Hispanic and Latino residents.

More information about these initiatives and how to participate can be found at Canton For All People's website or Facebook page: Canton for All People & Crossroads United Methodist Church.

Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.comOn Twitter: @kbyerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Shorb-area revitalization efforts in full swing