About CTO
http://www.clevelandtenants.org

Cleveland Tenants Organization (CTO) was founded in 1975 for the purposes of providing information on the Ohio Landlord Tenant Law, supporting the efforts of tenants to improve their living conditions, and educating the community around policy choices which affect rental housing.

CTO's Rental Information Center provides information about rental rights and duties to 10,000 Greater Clevelanders each year. About 60% of the persons seeking information are Clevelanders, 30% from a Greater Cleveland suburb and 10% from outside the County. Eighty five to ninety percent of the callers to CTO are tenants. The remainder are landlords. Typical concerns raised by questioners are about eviction, security deposit, and repairs. In support of the Information Services, CTO publishes a series of pamphlets and flyers on topics of interest to landlords and tenants and provides workshops and training sessions on the Landlord Tenant Law. Over the last two years, CTO has developed an interest in Fair Housing issues in Rental Housing, especially as they affect families with children and the disabled.

CTO's Tenant Outreach and Organizing Services provides assistance to local tenants groups around issues which the tenants themselves identify. CTO staff work with about 25-50 local tenants groups over the course of a year. Some of these groups arise out of a crisis situation and disappear when the crisis is over; others have sustained themselves over a decade or more. Typical activities for CTO organizers include: training group leaders and members, assisting with the development of strategies and tacti cs, researching public records, and producing documents and reports on group issues or activities.

In the Community Planning program area, CTO staff work on 3-5 rental housing issues. In 1993, CTO is participating in a new coalition effort around governmental housing policies. Greater Clevelanders for Fair and Affordable Housing is focusing attention on local housing needs and policies through the HUD mandated Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS). CTO staff is on housing code enforcement and drug house board up issues in the City of Cleveland. A typical community planning effort inclu des both a research and an organizing component. CTO staff document housing conditions and analyze policies that affect these conditions and then work with citizen groups to address the concerns identified by the group from the research and analysis devel oped by CTO. As a part of the Community Planning program, CTO publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Tenant Times, and periodically issues reports on specific policy needs.

CTO also collaborates with other groups working on rental housing issues. Special projects in 1993 include support of the East Cleveland Dispute Resolution Center, a dispute resolution project in collaboration with the Associated Estates Corporation, a nd a HOPE 2 Feasibility study with Hough Area Partners in Progress.

CTO's 1993 budget of about $275,000 permits the organization to employ 7 full time staff. Revenue is derived from United Way Services; contracts with the Cities of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, and Lakewood; a contract with Cuyahoga County; and grants fr om the BP America, Cleveland, Gerson and Gund Foundations. CTO also receives funds from individual members and Friends and from Corporate sponsors and contracters. CTO is governed by a 21 person Board of Trustees. John Wilbur of the East Ohio Gas Company was Board President in 1993.

For more information on Cleveland Tenants Organization, you may contact:

        Mike Foley
        Executive Director
        Cleveland Tenants Organization