Cleveland Demolished Vacant Homes Near Public Schools, But Not Near Private Schools
Source: WEWS ABC 5
A Cleveland initiative aimed at demolishing vacant homes that children walk by on their way to school has led to the tear-down of hundreds of properties near public schools. But a News 5 On Your Side investigation found the safety of children who walk to private schools is still at risk.
The program
The Safe Routes to School program was first unveiled in May of 2017 by Mayor Frank Jackson, who announced a goal to “tear down 500 homes within 500 feet” of Cleveland Metropolitan K-8 schools by the end of 2017. City officials underscored the goal in official news releases, Facebook posts/livestreams, online videos and city blog posts prior to Jackson’s re-election.
Instead, through visual inspections and analyzing city records, our investigation in 2017 found the vast majority of vacant homes were still standing and children remained at risk near hundreds of them.
Now, 16 months later, the city has made progress. Properties at 599 individual Safe Routes locations – or at least 830 total structures – have been demolished, according to city records as of Aug. 29. This includes homes, garages, sheds, apartments and commercial buildings.
In addition, under a separate, city-wide demolition program, city data shows 10,000 vacant structures have been torn down since Jackson took office in January 2006.
But for children who walk to private schools, vacant homes remain a threat. Our analysis found the city has not razed any abandoned properties near the approximately 30 private schools in Cleveland, and some parents, as well as a local principal and council member, are questioning why.
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