Renovated apartment complex provides hope for the Hough community 

In under two years, Dr. Gina Merritt, principal of  Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures (NREUV), transformed a long-abandoned 10-story apartment building on Hough Avenue on Cleveland’s East Side into a 116-unit affordable housing complex. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on April 9.

The apartment complex first opened its doors in 1973. In 2008, it was permanently shut down and remained closed until Merritt and NREUV purchased it in 2023. By early 2024, the renovation project was underway.

Although the building at 9410 Hough Ave. had become worn, with broken windows and decay that encompassed the entire outdoor structure, it’s now bright and clean, featuring tinted glass railings on each patio.  

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“We had an awesome contracting team,” said Merritt. “They were very efficient. We needed to have that certificate of occupancy by Dec. 31, [2025], and we did. The city of Cleveland was very helpful. It takes a while once you file for the certificate of occupancy to actually receive it. The rules state that the CFO must be on hand to meet the financing deadline. I can say this was my first experience where the city and state governments have worked so diligently to keep us on track.”

A fresh new contemporary look 

Inside 9410, the front lobby walls are covered with light gray wallpaper, and a desk sits at the entrance to welcome guests. Originally, the first floor was occupied by a mailroom, laundry room, space for offices and storage for maintenance workers. It’s now a residential floor, which took the number of units from 108 to 116.

All the units feature stone kitchen countertops, gray laminate flooring, light gray walls with white trim. Depending on the floor plan, some apartments have stone kitchen islands.

According to Merritt, the goal for this venture has always been to provide affordable and livable housing in a community where it’s not easy to find.  The income range for people applying is between $41,760 to $53,700 annually. The rent starts at $900 for a one- bedroom and $1200 for a two-bedroom. Management will be accepting housing choice vouchers (Section 8). With only 35 leases signed (as of March 17), there’s work to be done.

Stephanie Howse-Jones, Cleveland City Council’s Ward 8 councilwoman, said the renovated 9410 apartments will have a tremendous impact on the community she serves.

“At times when long-time community members see new housing go up, they don’t feel connected to it because it is way out of their economic reach,” she said. “So, the 9410 project is something that people can feel connected to, as they may have an opportunity to call that place home,” Howse-Jones said. 

“Some residents lived in the building when it was first constructed in 1973. And, they will be accepting housing choice vouchers. It’s never good when artificial boundaries are set up, money is money, right?  Sometimes people want to try to make a difference in the financial sector. To have a developer who understands that and creates a price point that offers opportunity for those who are working, as well as receiving some assistance from the government, is what these types of initiatives are about. We all deserve to be in a place and live in a place that is accessible, affordable, and nice.”

Easy access to a healthier lifestyle

A new community center sits next door to the building. Residents and others from the community will have access to a room designated for entrepreneurs who are developing business ideas. A couple of conference rooms are available for meetings, a community room with several tables and chairs is open for smaller social gatherings, and a fitness room with treadmills and steppers is available too.  A small health care suite will eventually be open with a doctor and nurse on duty.

A bus stop is located in front of the building, but there’s no shelter to guard against inclement weather. We will get it done, she said.

Merritt had just one surprising goal for the people who become residents of her building.

“One is I wish for the people who live in our development to move out,”  she said. “I want to give them a beautiful place to call home for now. But what I aspire for them is that they wind up homeowners, if that’s what they wish, or, you know, perhaps living in a different neighborhood and not being on a housing subsidy. Our goal is to economically empower the people who live in our property so they can live their best life, whatever they deem that to be.”