Media Contacts:

Kelly Woodard, Director of Communications | (216) 250-6146 | klwoodard@cuyahogacounty.gov
Jennifer Ciaccia, Press Secretary | (216) 250-5863 | jciaccia@cuyahogacounty.gov

Click here to view photos from the State of the County.

Executive Ronayne will deliver his speech to a sold-out City Club forum

CUYAHOGA COUNTY — During his third State of the County address, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne will reflect on a year of progress, emphasizing how Cuyahoga County has not only set ambitious goals but delivered results that are improving lives across the region.

Speaking to an audience of community leaders, business partners, and residents at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, Executive Ronayne will detail how projects launched during his first three years in office have transitioned from plans to reality, advancing the County’s vision for innovation, equity, and opportunity.

“Three years ago, we set clear goals: to make Cuyahoga County more welcoming, more supportive of families, more efficient in how we serve, and more connected to the future,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne. “Today, we can proudly say that we are accomplishing exactly that.”

Among the major highlights celebrated in this year’s State of the County address:

• Cuyahoga County Welcome Center: Since opening in February 2025, this one-stop destination for newcomers has connected more than 10,000 immigrants and refugees to jobs, housing, and community resources, reinforcing the County’s commitment to being a Certified Welcoming community.

• Child Wellness Campus: Construction is underway on a first-of-its-kind facility dedicated to the health, safety, and healing of children and teens. The campus is now a state model for comprehensive, compassionate care for our most vulnerable residents.

• Central Services Campus: Cuyahoga County is expected to break ground on a modern, more humane jail facility in 2026. The Central Services Campus will provide more natural light and fresh air, state-of-the-art medical facilities, and an on-site Behavioral Care Center, which will be a National Best Practice, offering trauma-informed care in a secure facility as an alternative to jail.

• Office of Small Business: Established to better serve local entrepreneurs, the Cuyahoga County Office of Small Business has distributed nearly $2 million in loans and assisted thousands of small businesses with access to capital, training, and technical support.

• Office of Violence Prevention: Cuyahoga County recently established the Office of Violence Prevention to coordinate and support violence prevention initiatives across departments and in partnership with community organizations and municipalities. The office will align resources and elevate solutions that prevent violence before it occurs.

• Department of Housing and Community Development: Executive Ronayne established this department to fill gaps in our housing ecosystem. In 2025, the department deployed $5.5 million in Federal HOME grant dollars to assist in the creation of 445 affordable housing units. The County celebrated the opening of the Margaret Wagner Apartments, in partnership with Benjamin Rose and CHN Housing Partners, to create homes for 80 seniors in Cleveland Heights. We also opened 53 homes at the Hitchcock Center for Women, the only addiction treatment facility in the region that allows moms to live with their children on-site while undergoing treatment. And, just this morning, CHN Housing Partners broke ground on a new County invested housing unit for veterans.

• Fresh Water Institute: This initiative has engaged nearly 1,000 students through the Institute’s fellowship, internship, and swimming programs. In 2024, we launched the inaugural cohort of 28 student fellows from 17 area high schools in partnership with Teaching Place and SYATT (See You at the Top).

• County Buildings: The County celebrated the opening of the new Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Headquarters, a state-of-the-art facility that improves accessibility, security, and transparency in local elections. We will soon improve our facilities for Health and Human Services employees and residents, continuing the County’s investment in modern, people-centered service delivery.

• Real Estate Assessment Funds: Thanks to new technology and modernized Fiscal Office systems, the County returned $35 million in excess Real Estate Assessment funds to cities, schools, and other taxing authorities, the largest amount ever returned in Cuyahoga County.

• Building Services: Plans are in the works for the Cuyahoga County Building Services Department to support communities with inspections and permits and speed up development.

• Cuyahoga Hunger Response Network: To address SNAP benefits cuts enacted by the federal government and to fight against increased hunger in our County, we will soon launch the Cuyahoga Hunger Response Team to coordinate, educate, and community with our residents about benefits changes.

“Every project is centered around people. We committed to a Healthy Cuyahoga, and we are fulfilling that promise by making it easier to start a business, cast a ballot, get support for a child, or find a permanent, affordable home in our community,” said Executive Ronayne. “Cuyahoga County is thoughtfully and responsibly building for the future with everyone in mind.”

The State of the County will be livestreamed at 4:00 p.m. at cityclub.org and broadcast on 89.7 WKSU Ideastream Public Media. No registration is required for livestream viewers.

To read the entire speech, visit here. To learn more about Executive Ronayne’s priorities, visit cuyahogacounty.gov.