Cleveland Tenants Organization Annual Report for 2006

The Cleveland Tenants Organization is a non profit organization established in 1975 for the purpose of assisting tenants and landlords understand their rights and responsibilities under the Ohio landlord tenant law.

The purpose of Cleveland Tenants Organization is to expand the supply of safe, decent, fair, affordable and accessible rental housing in Greater Cleveland by:

·  informing citizens of their rights and duties in rental housing; representing tenants and the interest of tenants in the preservation and promotion of rental housing rights;

·  empowering tenants individually and collectively to represent themselves and their interests;

·  advocating for the needs of low and moderate income tenants;

·  resolving disputes between landlords and tenants;

·  preventing homelessness; and

·  combating discrimination based on race, religion, color, gender, handicap, familial status, social/economic class, and sexual orientation.

CTO Board of Trustees

CTO is governed by a 21 member Board of Trustees. Rose Bardwell served as President of the Board in 2006 until July, when Cleo Busby was named Acting President. Cleo Busby was Vice-President. Marge Smith was Secretary. Ken Evans was Treasurer. Below are all of the Board of Trustee Members and their affiliations.

First Name / Last Name / Affiliation / City
Rose / Bardwell / Spanish American Committee / Cleveland
Cleo / Busby / Alliance of Cleveland HUD Tenants / Cleveland
William / Corrigan / Attorney, Retired Housing Court Judge / Cleveland
Brian / Davis / NEOCH / Cleveland
Denis / Dunn / AT & T / Lakewood
Dan / Elliott / United Transportation / Lakewood
George / Engel / Consultant / Valley View
Ken / Evans / Financial Industry Consultant / Strongsville
Mary / Ford / Lakeview Towers Tenant Leader / Cleveland
Steve / Greenwell / County Department of Senior and Adult Services / Lakewood
Fonzetta / Hill / Former Employee / Cleveland
Peter M. / Iskin / Legal Aid Society of Cleveland / Cleveland
Marge / Smith / Southwesterly Apartments Tenant Leader / Lakewood
Phillp / Star / Cleveland State University / Cleveland
Phillp / White / Bailiff, Common Pleas Court / Cleveland
John / Myers / Attorney / Cleveland
Frank / Pojman / Columbia Park Tenant Leader / Olmsted Township
Ruby / Nelson / Warrensville Hts. City Councilperson / Warrensville Hts.
Barbara / Powers / Rainbow Place II Tenant Leader / Cleveland
Marilyn / Conway / Lakeshore Towers Tenant Leader / Lakewood
Al / Lewis / Security Consultant / Cleveland

CTO Program for 2006

Below is the quick statistical update of what we did in 2006. CTO has a staff of 6 full-time employees, 1 part-time employee, a Development Director that splits time 3 ways between CTO, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, and Environmental Health Watch, as well as 4 VISTA’s who work daily answering calls, knocking on doors, organizing meetings, being patient, being insistent and generally trying to solve all the worlds problems, at least in relation to local landlord tenant issues.

Eviction Diversion Program (Major Staff; Scott Wells, Randy Cunningham)

The Eviction Diversion Program assists tenants facing eviction and offers assistance when possible to prevent evictions. Program staff are available to explain the eviction process, outline various options for tenants being evicted, and provide information and referrals for a number of community-based services, which assist with locating housing, providing financial assistance for rent and security deposits, and offering legal assistance.

Statistics for 2006

·  Total Number of families receiving mail from CTO regarding their eviction = 11,138

·  Total Number of families who responded to mailing = 2,546

·  Average monthly income of families we talked to = $861

·  Median monthly income of families we talked to = $693

·  Average monthly rent for families we talked to = $491.00

·  Median monthly rent for families we talked to = $465.00

·  Average monthly rent burden = 57.02%

·  Median monthly rent burden = 67.10%

Rental Information Center (Major Staff: Cheryl Boyer, Gladys Reed)

The Rental Information Center offers advice to both landlords and tenants with rental housing concerns and provides information regarding landlord-tenant laws and landlord and tenants’ rights and responsibilities. A phone hotline is staffed Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm by housing counselors, who are available to answer questions regarding rental housing issues and provide referrals for additional services. Informational Rental Rights Workshops are offered in the community on a weekly basis and by special request to assist landlords and tenants with individual questions. Clients are also able to receive one-on-one, face-to-face assistance by appointment.

Statistics for 2006

We had contacts with 9,112 renters and landlords in 2006. The breakdown of where they came from is as follows:

Contract / # of contacts
Cleveland / 3871
Cleveland Heights / 452
East Cleveland / 377
Cuyahoga Urban Communities / 1538
Lakewood / 668
Other Calls / 338
Wards / 1868
Totals / 9,112

Additionally our City of Cleveland calls were broken down as follows:

2006 Cleveland Tenants Organization
City of Cleveland Contacts
Description / # of contacts
1 / Utility shut offs - non-pay / 77
2 / Gas account switch overs / 9
3 / inadequate heat / 12
4 / crossed electrical wires / 3
5 / How to get repairs made / 574
6 / How to get Security Deposits back / 198
7 / 24 Hour notice violations / 47
8 / Eviction Process calls / 327
9 / Landlord harassment/retaliation / 12
10 / Lease term questions / 266
11 / Fair housing Questions / 4
12 / Self Help eviction / 47
13 / Rent increase Questions / 31
14 / Quiet Enjoyment / 9
15 / General Information Requests / 371
16 / Looking for new apartment / 75
17 / Tenant meeting/workshop attendees / 1,058
18 / Wants to organize / 240
19 / Post Judgment calls / 139
20 / Landlord being foreclosed on / 97
21 / Needs rent assistance / 260
22 / Can't find owner / 15
Total / = 3871

Tenant Advocacy and Organizing: (Major Staff: Mike Foley, Mike Piepsny, Juanalicia Duran, Gwen Lykes, Isiah Thomas, Maureen Koshar)

The Tenant Advocacy and Organizing Program assists tenants in multi-family apartment complexes to organize around common housing issues and concerns. Staff are available to work with tenants on a variety of issues and to assist in advocating for improved housing conditions.

Notable accomplishments in 2006

·  Continued work in over 23 Project Based Section 8 properties throughout Cuyahoga County.

·  CTO played an important part in developing the proposal and guidelines for the upcoming Housing Cleveland affordable housing and homelessness prevention strategic plan, formally known as Heading Home, which was released in December.

·  Continued working on the litigation effort to assist the tenants fighting an unconscionable rent increase at Columbia Park.

·  Continued participation on the planning committee for HousingCleveland.org.

·  Helped plan and fund the Alliance of Cleveland HUD Tenant’s annual retreat.

·  The Tenant Advocacy and Organizing Program was an instrumental partner in the effort to renovate the Emeritus House Apartments while preserving the subsidy at the building. The successful effort included working to include the residents’ needs and desires in the renovation plan and relocating the residents to the building of their choice while the year long renovation process occurred.

Tenants of Healthy Homes (Major Staff: Juanalicia Duran, Gladys Reed)

The Tenants for Healthy Housing Program conducts inspections of apartment units and assists tenants to identify potentially hazardous environmental conditions in rental housing. Staff educate tenants regarding methods to remedy the conditions and to avoid harm due to exposure to toxins.

2006 notable accomplishments

·  With our partner Environmental Health Watch, CTO completed over 200 assessments of apartments as well as over 100 follow ups from previous year assessments to help document the need for better lead hazard control measures.

·  CTO contacted and provided over a thousand Cuyahoga County families with important information on the dangers of lead paint and the tools necessary in protecting their children from this lifelong health danger.

·  CTO was important in pushing the City of Cleveland to amend the new lead ordinance which better regulates lead paint hazards and creates an enforcement mechanism for landlord’s failure to disclose their knowledge of lead based paint.

·  CTO remains an active key partner of the Greater Cleveland Lead Advisory Council, a non-profit/private foundation/governmental collaboration who’s goal is to eliminate childhood lead poisoning in Greater Cleveland.

Community Planning (Major Staff: Mike Foley, Mike Piepsny)

CTO's Executive Director doubles as Community Planning Program Director. His work is supplemented by students and volunteers and supported by United Way Services, the Sisters of Charity foundation, and the members of CTO. Community Planning activities include work on policies to preserve fair and affordable housing, expand protections for families threatened with lead poisoning, expand protections for residents in manufactured home parks, and educating housing providers about their duties under the landlord-tenant and fair housing laws.

2006 notable accomplishments

·  CTO successfully collaborated with the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless on obtaining a Cleveland Leadership Bridge Builders project, with the intent on having the group do research into possible funding sources and potential plan for the creation and implementation of a Cuyahoga County Housing Trust fund, a dedicated source of funding for affordable housing and homelessness prevention programs.

·  Although the Town hall occurred in January 2007, CTO worked on and held a Tenant Town Hall meeting to bring attention to the growing problem of Third Party Billing on Utilities and Ratio Utility Billing Systems. The Town Hall resulted in current legislation efforts by State Representatives Mike Foley and Armond Budish to effectively prohibit the questionable practices.

·  CTO participated in Housing 101, and annual overview of the affordable housing landscape in Cuyahoga County and Cleveland, presented at the Department of Housing and Urban Development Cleveland office.

Financial Statement for 2006

Below are the un-audited Income and Expense statements for year 2006

CTO Income for 2006
Funder / Amount
General Contributions and Membership Dues / $8,420.81
Contributions from Foundations and Trusts / $45,000.00*
United Way Services Allocation / $34,599.00
United Way Designations / $5,289,90
Fees and Grants from Governmental Agencies / $352,671.50
Investment Income / $25,000.00
Misc. Revenue / $8,242.22
Total / $479,223.43**

* A portion of these funds are secured for the 2007 employment of the shared Development Director.

** Some revenues received in calendar year 2006 represent funding for project, program and personnel costs in calendar

year 2007. Revenue and expense totals represent different circumstances due to timing issues.

CTO Expenses for 2006
Category / Amount
Wages and Salaries / $252,122.87
Employee Benefits / $23,028.16
Payroll Taxes / $19,441.34
Unemployment Taxes / $153.46
Workers Compensation / $740.88
Fees and Contracts / $50,111.42
Accounting / Auditing / Legal fees / $6,388.46
Supplies / $9,890.78
Communications / $5,563.86
Postage and Shipping / $5523.26
Occupancy / $28,341.94
Equipment Rental and Repairs / $6,685.78
Printing and Publication / $2,122.41
Advertising Expenses / $375.00
Travel / $7,482.15
Membership Dues / $375.00
Insurance / $466.00
Miscellaneous Expenses / $1,338.36
Total / $419,219.54

2006 Staff Directory

·  Michael Foley – Executive Director until April 2006. Elected to State Legislature

·  Michael Piepsny – Executive Director, named Interim Director in April 2006 and Executive Director in July, 2006

·  Cheryl Boyer – Assistant Director, Program Director – Rental Information Center

·  Gladys Reed – Information Specialist, Lead Outreach Specialist

·  Scott Wells – Program Director – Eviction Diversion Program

·  Randy Cunningham – Eviction Diversion Specialist

·  Juanalicia Duran – Outreach Specialist

·  Gwen Lykes – Lead Organizer, hired in July, 2006

·  Denise Cooper, Shared Development Director

·  Maureen Kosher – LEAD VISTA, Volunteer

·  Isiah X. Thomas, VISTA Volunteer

·  Michael Kwiatkowski, VISTA Volunteer

·  Emily Kiefer, VISTA Volunteer

A special thank you to the following individuals who have contributed to CTO in 2006:

·  Floyd Berry

·  Richard Black

·  Wanda Blechar

·  Daisy Burkhalter

·  Denise Cooper

·  George Engel

·  Blythe Gehring

·  Carla Green

·  Mark Hoffman

·  Emma & Isiah Jones

·  Gail Long

·  Dorothy Miller

·  John & Jill Patton

·  James Rugley

·  Phil Star

·  Richard Wiley

·  Kal Zucker

Thank you to the following municipalities, elected officials, corporations, and foundations for their 2006 Program support:

·  AT&T

·  City of Cleveland

·  City of Cleveland Heights

·  City of East Cleveland

·  City of Lakewood

·  City of Cleveland Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland

·  City of Cleveland Councilwoman Patricia Britt

·  City of Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman

·  City of Cleveland Councilman Joe Santiago

·  City of Cleveland Councilman Brian Cummins

·  Cuyahoga County

·  State of Ohio

·  Bruening Foundation

·  National City Community Development Corporation

·  Reuter Foundation

·  Sisters of Charity Foundation

·  St. Luke’s Foundation

·  United Way Services

·  Individual and affiliate members of the Cleveland Tenants Organization