Director of Community Development

Tania Menesse is the City of Cleveland Director of Community Development, which is responsible for: Planning, administering and evaluating U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds and implementing programs designed to conserve and expand the housing stock Revitalizing commercial areas Acquiring, maintaining and marketing vacant land Improving the quality of human services Developing small areas of neighborhood strategies Menesse also manages the Office of Fair Housing and Consumer Affairs which enforces Cleveland's Consumer Protection Code and fosters relationships with the lending community.

Prior to joining the City of Cleveland, Menesse was the Director of Economic Development for the City of Shaker Heights. The primary objective of her role was to generate a commercial revenue base for the City by attracting, retaining and facilitating the expansion of businesses that contributed to Shaker’s character. Menesse developed the City’s economic development plan and led the development of The Van Aken District, Shaker Heights’ downtown.

Ten years of experience in sales, product development, project management and process re-engineering in the private sector provided a foundation for Menesse’s neighborhood economic development efforts. She made the transition to the public and non-profit sector by completing her Master’s Degree in Urban Studies with a concentration in Economic Development at Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs.