Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity to reopen Amherst thrift store

AMHERST — Habitat for Humanity's ReStore, which quietly closed earlier this year amid rumors that money was used inappropriately, will reopen in November. The Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity is expanding its service area west and will acquire about $2 million in assets in Lorain County. That includes the thrift store at 300 Rice Industrial Parkway off Route 58, where home furnishings and building supplies were sold. The building is valued at $1.2 million to $1.3 million, but comes with a mortgage of about $500,000, according to John Habat, president and CEO of Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity. The transfer also includes about $350,000 in cash and equivalents, such as money market funds, and more than 30 parcels of land across the county — some vacant and others where Habitat houses already have been built. Michael Owendoff, chair of Cleveland's Habitat board, said he believes the organization can expand without reducing its existing services in Cuyahoga County. "We also believe that we can offer a more robust affordable homeownership program than previously offered to Lorain County residents," he said. The nonprofit organization is committing to build at least one house a year in Lorain County, Habat said. "My guess (is) it will be more than that because I think there's a lot of interest and potential support and need, for sure need, in Lorain County," he said. The hope is to start accepting applications for home ownership here by early spring, said Habat. Assets are expected to transfer in the next couple of weeks, said Chief Development Officer Peggy Sobul. "Once the transfer takes place, we'll be going in and cleaning up, getting it ready to open," she said. A grand opening is being planned for Nov. 5. Habat said the ReStore probably will have a soft opening a couple of days in advance. Net proceeds from the store go to support the construction of affordable housing. Habat declined to answer questions on the record about the circumstances that led to the closure of the ReStore and the departure of former Director Kelly La Rosa. A former volunteer filed a complaint with the Ohio attorney general's office in late 2021, accusing an employee of using money and influence to procure Habitat homes for friends. No related charges or civil lawsuits have been filed. Habitat for Humanity International discontinued its affiliation with the Lorain County nonprofit this spring. "By the time I got in the door, most of the answers were there and now it was just a matter of, 'Let's figure out how to move forward,'" Habat said. All organizations need to have "the right controls" to ensure accountability, he said. Habat said members of the former Lorain County Habitat board were cooperative and wanted to make sure the organization continued to have a presence. "… Such cooperation has facilitated as smooth a transition as possible under the circumstances," he said. Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.