CLEVELAND — Where you live has a big impact on your quality of life, from safety to health.

That's the concept behind a new housing development in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood. University Hospitals will invest $3 million in the project, with a goal of providing affordable options to those living in an area that's rich in legacy, but in need of investment.

What You Need To Know

  • Female-owned development firm partners with University Hospitals to invest in Hough neighborhood

  • A mixed-income housing development called Gateway66 at League Park is in the works 

  • The development will help tie people to resources such as workforce training and health care

“Hough is rich in a lot of way, primarily because of its people,” said Sheila Wright, the president and co-found of Frontline Development Group, a minority- and female-owned real estate development firm.

In Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood, there's five acres of vacant land just across from the historic League Park.

“We hope this will begin to play like downtown Hough,” Wright said.

She and her business partner are hoping to bring new life to the neighborhood starting with that vacant land where they’re planning a mixed-income housing development called Gateway66 at League Park.

“(It’s) an opportunity for people to live, play, work, own, grow, different kinds of professions — similar to how our parents grew up” she said.

Gateway66 will offer below-market affordable rent, including eight units for those earning at or below 30% of the area's gross median income, and 16 units will serve those earning at or below 50% AMGI. Out of a total of more than 80 units, four of those units will be at market rate. 

The goal is to bring in a wide variety of people, from singles and young professionals to seniors and families. 

“It’s an amazing neighborhood. The people make the neighborhood and of course we are accessible to other connections, work opportunities, park amenities,” said Cleveland council member Stephanie Howse-Jones.

Wright said Hough has a lot of community pride and resilience despite periods of disinvestment and she welcome an investment University Hospitals.

“University Hospitals was a no-brainer in terms of the investment it’d already made into Hough,” Wright said.

UH said in a press release that it recognizes that stable housing creates thriving communities and is a key component to well-being.

Wright refers to herself as the quarterback and plans to align residents with resources like workforce training, health care and community space.

“What’s beautiful is the thoughtful leadership of these institutional partners and these stakeholders to make sure the community rises with these investments, that it doesn’t displace people," Wright said. “There’s an opportunity for a person at every income decile to take advantage of what they see happening around them."