Hough Area Development Corporation.

The Hough Area Development Corporation (f. 1967) was formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in the wake of the Hough Riots by DeForest Brown in conjunction with African American professionals and neighborhood leaders to aid in bringing economic prosperity to Cleveland's Hough neighborhood. Dedicated to African American self-determination, the group initially met in secret to prevent competition for dollars and outside attempts to control it. The group received $62,000 from Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes's Cleveland: NOW! fund in 1967, and in 1968, the Office of Economic Opportunities gave HADC $1.6 million, establishing the trend of federal funding which would last until the early 1980s.

The Hough Area Development Corporation promoted African American business entrepreneurship and better housing. Among its early programs were the Handyman Maintenance Company which took hardcore unemployed people from Hough's neighborhood, trained them, and put them to work as maintenance men, and Community Products Inc., which put former welfare recipients to work manufacturing rubber parts for cars. The Hough Area Development Corporation also petitioned and picketed McDonalds' for ownership of two restaurants in the neighborhood, which the group managed for several years before selling due to losses.

The centerpiece of the Hough Area Development Corporation was the Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza -- a shopping center with townhouses on its roof -- which was developed, constructed, and managed by African Americans. A later project, a 100-acre Industrial Park, did not come to fruition but sparked plans for the Midtown Corridor Project.

The organization faced criticism of its work in the early 1970s, first by United States Congressman William E. Minshall (R - Lakewood) who questioned Hough Area Development Corporation's tax-exempt status, and then by the Cleveland Plain Dealer which questioned their effectiveness (See Container 25, Folder 492). The organization survived these challenges and continued its work into the early 1980s when federal funds were cut off. The organization depended on local foundation grants for a number of years, but funds were exhausted and its staff laid off in 1984.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Area Development Corporation

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Neighborhood of Cleveland click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Riots

The Hough Area Development Corporation (f. 1967) was formed in the wake of the the Hough riots by DeForest Brown in conjunction with black professionals and neighborhood leaders to aid in bringing economic prosperity to Cleveland's Hough neighborhood. Dedicated to black self determination, the group initially met in secret to prevent competition for dollars and outside attempts to control it. The group received $62,000 from Mayor Carl Stokes's Cleveland: NOW! fund in 1967, and in 1968, the Office of Economic Opportunities gave HADC $1.6 million, establishing the trend of federal funding which would last until the early 1980s.

The group promoted Black business entrepreneurship and better housing. Among its early programs were the Handyman Maintenance Company which took hardcore unemployed from Hough's neighborhood, trained them, and put them to work as maintenance men, and Community Products Inc., which put former welfare recipients to work manufacturing rubber parts for cars. The HADC also petitioned and picketed McDonalds' for ownership of two restaurants in the neighborhood, which the group managed for several years before selling due to losses.

The centerpiece of HADC was the Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza a shopping center with townhouses on its roof which was developed, constructed, and run by blacks. A later project, a 100 acre Industrial Park, did not come to fruition but sparked plans for the Midtown Corridor Project.

The organization faced criticism of its work in the early 1970s, first by United States Congressman William E. Minshall (R. Lakewood) who questioned HADC's tax exempt status, and then by the Plain Dealer which questioned their effectiveness (See Container 25, Folder 492). HADC survived these challenges and continued its work into the early 1980s when federal funds were cut off. The organization depended on local foundation grants for a number of years, but funds were exhausted and its staff laid off in 1984.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Area Development Corporation

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Riots

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Neighborhood

The Hough Area Development Corporation (f. 1967) was formed in Cleveland, Ohio, in the wake of the Hough Riots by DeForest Brown in conjunction with African American professionals and neighborhood leaders to aid in bringing economic prosperity to Cleveland's Hough neighborhood. Dedicated to African American self-determination, the group initially met in secret to prevent competition for dollars and outside attempts to control it. The group received $62,000 from Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes's Cleveland: NOW! fund in 1967, and in 1968, the Office of Economic Opportunities gave HADC $1.6 million, establishing the trend of federal funding which would last until the early 1980s.

The Hough Area Development Corporation promoted African American business entrepreneurship and better housing. Among its early programs were the Handyman Maintenance Company which took hardcore unemployed people from Hough's neighborhood, trained them, and put them to work as maintenance men, and Community Products Inc., which put former welfare recipients to work manufacturing rubber parts for cars. The Hough Area Development Corporation also petitioned and picketed McDonalds' for ownership of two restaurants in the neighborhood, which the group managed for several years before selling due to losses.

The centerpiece of the Hough Area Development Corporation was the Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza -- a shopping center with townhouses on its roof -- which was developed, constructed, and managed by African Americans. A later project, a 100-acre Industrial Park, did not come to fruition but sparked plans for the Midtown Corridor Project.

The organization faced criticism of its work in the early 1970s, first by United States Congressman William E. Minshall (R - Lakewood) who questioned Hough Area Development Corporation's tax-exempt status, and then by the Cleveland Plain Dealer which questioned their effectiveness (See Container 25, Folder 492). The organization survived these challenges and continued its work into the early 1980s when federal funds were cut off. The organization depended on local foundation grants for a number of years, but funds were exhausted and its staff laid off in 1984.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Hough Area Development Corporation