The City of Cleveland, in partnership with FUSE, plans to revitalize its 10-year housing plan, titled "Cleveland 2030: A Housing Equity Plan," to foster equitable homeownership growth among underrepresented populations. Under the direction of the Department of Building & Housing, the FUSE Executive Fellow will play a central role in catalyzing and aligning cross-sector stakeholders to address discriminatory housing practices, support existing homeowners, and aid first-time buyers. By integrating the HUD Equity Plan, enhancing data collection and reporting, and expanding community and legislative engagement, the project aims to develop concrete steps to improve housing stability and affordability. Ultimately, this initiative will contribute to sustainable and equitable community development for Cleveland's most underserved residents.

Fellowship Dates: April 28, 2025 – April 24, 2026

Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $80,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market-rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit working to expand social and economic opportunities, particularly for communities that have been limited by a history of systemic and institutionalized racism. FUSE partners with local governments and communities to more effectively address pressing challenges by placing experienced professionals within city and county agencies. These FUSE Executive Fellows lead strategic projects designed to advance racial equity and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 250 projects in 40 governments across 20 states, impacting the lives of 25 million people.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and local stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward regional priorities. FUSE then conducts an individualized search for each project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the communities being served. They are data-driven and results-oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects by developing actionable roadmaps and monitoring progress to completion.

Executive Fellows are hired as FUSE employees and embedded in government agencies for at least one year of full-time work. Throughout their fellowships, they receive training, coaching, and professional support from FUSE to help achieve their project goals. FUSE Executive Fellows bring diverse perspectives and new approaches to their projects. They build strong relationships with diverse arrays of stakeholders, foster alignment within.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Like many cities, Cleveland, Ohio faces significant housing challenges rooted in historical patterns of disinvestment and inequitable practices, which have had a disproportionate impact on low- to moderate-income residents and communities of color. Despite ongoing efforts to improve housing opportunities, many Cleveland residents from historically underserved communities continue to face barriers to homeownership and stable housing, including limited access to affordable housing, financial services, and mortgage products.

The City of Cleveland is actively transforming its housing landscape to create more opportunities for all residents, with a focus on empowering underserved communities, particularly historically marginalized groups. The City is tackling challenges such as housing affordability, discriminatory practices, quality improvements, and environmental safety. As the economy evolves, the City is exploring ways to align housing costs with resident incomes, promote equitable development across neighborhoods, and increase homeownership growth among underrepresented populations. The city's rich history and diverse housing stock present unique opportunities for revitalization and community-driven solutions.

The City of Cleveland has made significant strides in transforming its housing landscape, with the cornerstone being the development of "Cleveland 2030: A Housing Equity Plan". This community-driven, 10-year equitable housing plan provides a comprehensive foundation for future actions. Building on this momentum, the city has launched several key initiatives: conducting a comprehensive community survey, implementing a system for tracking housing concerns, and developing educational resources to guide residents through various processes, including those for first-time homebuyers. Additionally, the City is exploring innovative policy approaches to fair housing, such as considering source of income as a protected class, and working with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to expand its capacity to address discriminatory practices in renting and home buying. These efforts collectively support and extend the vision laid out in the Cleveland 2030 plan.

Recognizing the link between housing affordability, economic empowerment, and community development, the City of Cleveland is committed to creating diverse housing options to attract and retain residents while also supporting current homeowners in building equity and remaining in their homes over the long-term.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The FUSE Executive Fellowship will play a critical project management, analytical, and collaborative role in evolving “Cleveland 2030” and preparing it for implementation. In the initial months, the Fellow will conduct a thorough review of existing housing policies, gather input from community stakeholders, and research best practices from other cities. This phase will include a listening tour to understand the specific needs and concerns of residents, particularly those from underserved communities. The Fellow will also analyze the current 10-year housing plan and the developing HUD Equity Plan to identify key areas for integration and improvement.

Throughout the project year, the Fellow will focus on updating the 10-year housing plan to address equity issues more explicitly. This includes developing an action plan with clear steps for implementation, refining the framework based on community feedback and new data, and ensuring that the plan incorporates potential HUD rule changes. The Fellow will work closely with the City’s Fair Housing Advisory Board and key partners such as HUD, The Legal Aid Society of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland’s housing court, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, and other stakeholders involved in fair housing. This project will run concurrently with another City-sponsored FUSE Executive Fellowship focused on increasing access to housing capital. The two Fellows will have opportunities to collaborate, ensuring that housing finance strategies and the 10-Year Housing Equity Plan are aligned and mutually reinforcing. They will also establish mechanisms for data collection and analysis to measure the impact of the updated plan and develop strategies for legislative reviews and community engagement.

By the end of the project, the Fellow will deliver a comprehensive update to the 10-year housing plan, incorporating actionable steps and aligning with the HUD Equity Plan. They will create a detailed data collection plan and strategy for ongoing community engagement, including methods for assessing impact and effectiveness. The Fellow will also produce a framework for ongoing legislative reviews and establish a foundation for sustained collaboration with key partners.

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

  • Updated “Cleveland 2030” 10-Year Housing Plan: A revised plan that highlights the equitable access to housing resources, with actionable steps and integration of elements of the HUD Equity Plan, aimed at addressing housing stability, affordability, and equity.
  • Data Collection Plan: A comprehensive strategy for gathering and analyzing data on housing issues, community feedback, and plan implementation impact, developed in partnership with the home ownership-focused FUSE fellow.
  • Community Engagement Strategy: A plan for engaging residents on an ongoing basis, including methods for gathering input, disseminating information, and measuring the effectiveness of community outreach efforts, in collaboration with the Department’s Office of Community Engagement.
  • Legislative Review Framework: A structured approach for ongoing legislative reviews related to housing policies and practices, ensuring alignment with proposed HUD rule changes and department equity goals.
  • Partnership Collaboration Model: An established framework for collaborating with key organizations such as HUD, the Legal Aid Society of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland’s housing court, and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to support fair housing initiatives.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

  • Executive Sponsor – Tom Modica, City Manager
  • Project Supervisor – Tyler Bonanno-Curley, Deputy City Manager, Office of the City Manager

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
  • Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
  • Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
  • Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
  • Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
  • Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
  • Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
  • Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
  • Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

FUSE is an equal-opportunity employer with core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.