Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry (LMM) will open the new addition to the men’s shelter on March 11. Clevelanders experiencing homelessness will have access to what LMM describes as a healthier, modernized and more dignified space.
Cuyahoga County Office of Homeless Services and LMM celebrated the renovation of the shelter with a ribbon cutting ceremony last Tuesday.
The multi-year project included support from Cuyahoga County and design suggestions from clients who use the shelter.
Cuyahoga County invested $550,000 in CARES funding to purchase the building next door to the shelter in 2021. Another $4.4 million of ARPA funds were used to connect the addition to the original shelter at 2100 Lakeside and renovate the inside. Improvements include semi-private sleeping spaces, new shower facilities, expanded community spaces, private lockers and additional office space for staff and volunteers.
Maria Foschia, LMM president and CEO, told Signal Cleveland that she is proud to be able to provide inclusive, dignified spaces for those experiencing homelessness.
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“What we realized during the pandemic was that it’s not only about giving people privacy, but it’s for their health and wellbeing as well,” Foschia said. “When people are in crisis, it can be very hard to be in a large shelter setting, so being intentional about things like the bedding, space, and lighting was important to us.”
The Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry shelter is the largest in Ohio, servicing up to 365 men a night. Officials see the shelter as “an intermediate solution to a broader housing problem.” Renting and living in Cleveland currently costs more than anywhere in Ohio. A February report from RentCafe says the median income in Cleveland is $30,060, which breaks down to about $2,500 a month. The report goes on to say the median rent is $1,328, which many Clevelanders are unable to afford.
Foschia encourages men who need shelter to also take advantage of the other services LMM offers, including job training, budget/credit counseling, housing location services, and music therapy.
“The value we can provide is that many of our staff are people who have experienced homelessness. You need somebody that you can talk to and who has been there before. That goes a long way with building a healthy rapport.”
Michael Sering, vice president of Housing and Shelter, works in partnership with the land bank to find affordable housing for clients. He is proud of this new renovation and how LMM was able to incorporate the input of the men who use the shelter.
“We built a sample structure in 2100 to give them an idea of what we were going for in the new renovation,” Sering said. “We then had a focus group and survey, where we asked 70 men who use the shelter what type of designs they wanted to see. Things like charging stations, better lighting to see at night, bedding. We got some really great feedback and were able to incorporate their ideas into the design.”