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County committee advances $50,000 ARPA award for Beat the Streets Cleveland Slavic Village center
Summary
The Community Development and Housing Committee voted to advance a resolution to the full council that would award up to $50,000 in ARPA funds to Beat the Streets Cleveland to renovate a former Dollar Tree into a youth development center in Slavic Village.
The Cuyahoga County Community Development and Housing Committee voted to advance Resolution 20250099, which would award up to $50,000 from the District 7 ARPA Community Grant Fund to Beat the Streets Cleveland for the Slavic Village Youth Facility Project.
Demetrius William, executive director of Beat the Streets Cleveland, told the committee the nonprofit purchased the Slavic Village property in 2023 and plans to convert the former Dollar Tree into classrooms, counseling spaces, showers and training areas to support K–12 mentoring and sports programming. “Our mission is to positively alter the life trajectory for K to 12 student athletes in the city of Cleveland by giving them access to youth development, mentoring, and sport of wrestling,” William said.
William said the overall project is expected to cost just under $2,000,000 and that the organization has raised about $936,000 to date. He described pending commitments and grant applications that could close the gap: an expected $250,000 from the Higley Fund and about $300,000 from the Mandel Foundation, with remaining funds sought from the Cleveland Foundation and private donors. “We have a path to victory with those three major foundations,” he said.
On financing, William said the group used a donor loan of roughly $1,000,000 to buy the building in 2023; he described the loan as secured and interest‑free with the first payment due in 2028, and said renovations would proceed while continuing to raise funds to retire the loan.
Committee members praised the location and work and asked questions about fundraising, school partnerships and program reach. William said the program served about 1,320 youth in 2024 and typically reaches children ages roughly 9–13 through in‑school and community‑site programming.
The chair said he would add his name as a sponsor after touring the facility. A committee member moved to advance the resolution to the full council for a second reading, the motion was seconded, and members voted to move the item forward.
If the full council approves the resolution at second reading, the ARPA award would be used toward the listed renovation activities; the committee did not take final appropriation action at this meeting.
