Cleveland overhauls home‑repair delivery after backlog of more than 2,000 applications
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Summary
The Department of Community Development said it paused rolling intake, modernized intake to Power Apps, and contracted an implementation vendor in June 2025 to act as a general contractor and speed repairs. Staff said the city aims to complete about 100 homes this program year and reported growth in its contractor pool.
The Department of Community Development told the Development, Planning and Sustainability Committee it has restructured how Cleveland delivers home repair after a multi‑year backlog and a shrinking contractor pool.
“We shifted from a program by program approach to a holistic model. One that evaluates the total condition of the home rather than addressing single repairs,” bureau chief Danette Davis said, describing a move to a centralized Power Apps intake system and a dedicated implementation vendor.
What changed and why
Davis said the department had more than 2,000 applications in its database; after migrating to a modernized application system roughly 1,300 of those applicants had never advanced to service. The contractor pool had shrunk to below seven active contractors across programs, and the department's delivery model produced stagnant production. To address those problems the city:
- Paused rolling applications in 2025 to verify and clean the backlog and prevent opening more intake while the pipeline is unresolved. - Migrated applications and case management to a Power Apps platform for real‑time visibility on project status. - Contracted an implementation vendor in June 2025 to function as a general contractor that manages scopes, contractor recruitment, payment processing and compliance with HUD requirements.
Vendor model and early results
Davis said the implementation vendor manages single comprehensive construction contracts supported by subcontractors, maintains standardized scopes and pricing, and handles contractor payments. She provided the following production snapshot: approximately 15 lead contractors in the pool, eight non‑lead contractors, five rotating risk assessors, 87 projects assigned to the implementation vendor and 27 projects under contract and actively under construction.
Payment and contractor challenges
The department said one reason contractors left public work was slow payment under a reimbursement model and the need for multiple trades on aging homes. To reduce payment delays the implementation vendor is advancing a portion of project costs to contractors and managing milestone payments. The director added that HUD agreed to give an extra year on three competitive grants at risk of recapture, which preserves funding for lead remediation and Healthy Homes work tied to repairs.
Production goals and resident expectations
When asked about production goals, staff said the programmatic target for the year is approximately 100 completed houses. Staff explained the need to pause new applications while cleaning the database to avoid misleading residents who expect immediate service. The department said it expects to finish a data analysis by the end of the calendar year and will work with council on outreach and legislation as needed.
Provenance
First related remarks: Danette Davis beginning at 00:23:38: "The Bureau of Residential Improvement oversees a diverse portfolio of housing repair programs..."
Last related remarks: discussion of goals and timeline with council ending about 00:44:00.
Ending
The department said the implementation vendor and digital intake modernization have increased contractor participation and shortened payment timelines, but staff cautioned that output will ramp gradually and cited an immediate goal of about 100 households served this programmatic year.
