Slavic Village Plots Big Comeback With Homes on 1,000 Empty Lots

Councilmember Deborah Gray outlines plans for 30 affordable infill homes, park upgrades, and ideas to reuse vacant parcels.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 6:24pm

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A repeating grid pattern of a single, iconic Slavic Village home detail rendered in a high-contrast, silkscreen pop art style using vibrant neon colors and heavy black outlines, conceptually representing the neighborhood's residential renewal.A bold, colorful illustration celebrating the revitalization of Slavic Village through new affordable housing and community investments.Cleveland Today

In a packed Ward 3 meeting, Councilmember Deborah Gray presented an ambitious plan to bring housing to roughly 1,000 vacant parcels across Slavic Village. The plan includes 30 affordable infill homes this year, upgrades to Luke Easter Park like a new skate facility and dog park, and meetings with developers to renovate former school buildings.

Why it matters

Slavic Village has long struggled with high vacancy rates, with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy estimating over 22,000 residential vacant lots in Cleveland. This plan aims to breathe new life into the neighborhood by putting these empty lots back into productive use through new affordable housing and community amenities.

The details

The 30 infill homes will be built on Parkview, Forest, Griffing, Sophia, and Imperial avenues by the Cleveland Housing Network. Gray has also met with four developers to discuss renovating former school buildings in the area. The park upgrades include a finished gazebo and amphitheater, a soon-to-open dog park, and plans for a new skatepark and restrooms by 2027. Machine Gun Kelly has pledged cash for the skate project.

  • On March 26, Councilmember Deborah Gray outlined the plans at a packed Ward 3 meeting.
  • Gray planned to meet with the mayor's staff on March 31 to press for state action on the schools' RFPs.
  • The 30 infill homes are slated to be built this year.

The players

Deborah Gray

Councilmember representing Ward 3 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Cleveland Housing Network

The developer that will build the 30 affordable infill homes in Slavic Village.

Machine Gun Kelly

The musician who has pledged cash for the Luke Easter Skatepark Project.

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What they’re saying

“More outreach and design sessions are coming so neighbors can weigh in before shovels hit the ground.”

— Deborah Gray, Councilmember

What’s next

Gray's office says more outreach and design sessions are coming so neighbors can provide feedback on the housing plans before construction begins.

The takeaway

This ambitious plan to revitalize Slavic Village by building affordable infill homes and upgrading community amenities on the neighborhood's many vacant lots represents a significant step towards addressing Cleveland's longstanding vacancy crisis and creating more livable communities.