SAMPLE LETTER
March 14, 2001
Commissioner Jimmy Dimora
1219 Ontario Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Dear Commissioner Dimora:
Cuyahoga County needs to put housing as a top priority especially the creation of affordable safe, decent housing and supportive services. The County identified funding priorities last year for young children, job creation/ economic development, a safety net for those with a low income, and juvenile rehabilitation. If there is no affordable housing available in our community, all the other priorities are more difficult if not impossible to implement. If there are no houses or apartments for workers, business will not locate in a community. It is not economical to provide shelter. Housing saves us so much money over the long run.
The County does not have a housing agenda. The County lobbyist does not fight for housing issues, and very few county officials talk about it. We can no longer rely on the federal government for support in the housing crisis. We have seen very few housing opportunities created out of Washington D.C. for the last six years. This is an emergency at a local level that needs a grassroots solution. It would go a long way if the County would begin to talk about the lack of housing.
Some of the critical issues include:
I urge you to add housing to your four priorities. People understand housing. The time is right to begin to address these issues. We need your leadership to address this growing housing need in Cuyahoga County. I know that you have a lot on your plate, but stabilizing the housing of many of these families will go along way to solving your other goals.
Sincerely,