TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Housing is a critical part of any successful neighborhood. And there’s a new pilot program focused on continuing the work to strengthen the foundation in the Old South End.

It’s called the Old South End Partnership. It’s described as a coordinated approach to housing solutions. And it’s focused on helping make Toledo better for all of us.

Housing is the foundation of any strong community. A team is now working to strengthen the housing infrastructure and use reliable data to guide long-term decision-making in the neighborhood.

“The problems didn’t show up overnight and they won’t be fixed overnight. We will be working on this for many, many years and we are all committed to doing that,” David Mann with the Lucas County Land Bank said.

The partnership includes the Historic South Initiative, Lucas County Land Bank, LISC Toledo, Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity and Ladder Up Housing, as well as the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation.

Mann says the boundaries for the pilot project are Broadway to Western and South to Courtland.

“Every property in the pilot project footprint, we will assess its condition. Create a plan of action and use the resources given to us to make a change,” Mann said.

An initial investment of $1 million will fund the partnership. Mann says that work will include everything from renovations to new construction.

“That might be an abandoned house being demolished, a roof being fixed or a brand new house under construction within our footprint. Collectively, we have the tools to do something that by ourselves, none of us could get done,” Mann said.

Carl Wagner is the board chair of the Historic South Initiative.

“Instead of scattering all over, we are focusing our initial work in areas where some work has already been done. We will learn from that and go to the next area. That’s the plan,” Wagner said.

The nonprofit that’s worked on hundreds of homes in the Old South End.

“This is personal to me. I grew up about two miles from here. This was a thriving neighborhood, everything we needed was here and in the last three generations those things have disappeared,” Wagner said.

Taylor Burciaga is the head of the Sophia Quintero Art and Cultural Center. She grew up in the neighborhood and says this project will have a ripple effect.

“There will be an immediate impact with boots on the ground. The data collection will help support and sustain programs and the framework will provide a roadmap for others about what worked and what didn’t,” Burciaga said.

The Old South End Partnership is described as one of the most comprehensive aligned housing efforts in Toledo in decades. And it’s not a short-term project. The plan is to build on the initial investment and continue this work for years to come.

https://www.13abc.com/2026/03/19/local-partnership-works-strengthen-foundation-old-south-end/?outputType=amp