Cleveland Housing Court to partner with Cleveland Public Library, increase accessibility

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland Public Library and Cleveland Housing Court said that they are teaming up to bring the court to the community more accessibly.

They said in a release that on July 18, a grand opening will be held at 9:30 a.m. for the new Neighborhood Housing Court Kiosk at the South Branch located at 3096 Scranton Road in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood.

The event will host a number of important community members including library executives and Cleveland Housing Court Administrative Judge W. Moná Scott.

The kiosk, which requires reservation, is solely for the use of Clevelanders who need to appear before Cleveland Housing Court without traveling downtown, according to the release.

“We want to make it easier for the public to attend hearings,” said Judge Scott. “Eviction hearings often have no-shows due to lack of transportation and childcare or fear of missing work. The Neighborhood Housing Court Kiosk program will alleviate those concerns and help to bridge the digital divide.”

The release states that the South Branch will be the first of four Cleveland Public Library locations to feature the Neighborhood Housing Court computer kiosks.

“Cleveland Public Library is the gateway to city services. We are determined to make sure every Clevelander has access to the resources and tools needed to enhance their lives,” said Felton Thomas, Jr., Executive Director and CEO of Cleveland Public Library. “The Neighborhood Housing Court Kiosk program is just another example of the Library’s efforts to open doors and create opportunities for our community.”

The program, according to officials, will eventually spread to the Mount Pleasant, Carnegie West and Glenville branches.

“We chose these neighborhood locations because they have some of the highest eviction rates in the city,” said Judge Scott.

Cleveland Housing Court said that they purchased the computer kiosk equipment using a technology grant from the Ohio Supreme Court.

For more information on the Neighborhood Housing Court Kiosk, visit cpl.org/legal or clevelandmunicipalcourt.org/housingcourt.

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