State Rep. Eric Synenberg Secures $1.3 Million for Cuyahoga County Projects

Synenberg Secures Nearly $2 Million for County Projects, but None Land Directly in Euclid

State Rep. Eric Synenberg brought home nearly $2 million in Ohio Controlling Board funding for Cuyahoga County higher-education and housing projects, his office announced Feb. 9. None of the three allocations went to Euclid-specific sites — the money landed at Cleveland State University, Cuyahoga Community College and a Cleveland-based housing nonprofit — but the projects serve institutions and services that District 21 residents use.

Synenberg represents District 21, which covers Euclid, Beachwood, Lyndhurst, South Euclid, University Heights and part of Cleveland. In a busy February he also held a seniors-focused town hall in Lyndhurst and co-introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at speeding emergency cellphone-location sharing with law enforcement.

Where the Money Went

Cleveland State University received the largest share for campus infrastructure work including safety-system upgrades, lobby renovation, fireproofing and security improvements.

Another $450,000 went to EDEN, the Emerald Development and Economic Network, and the Department of Behavioral Health to renovate and expand permanent supportive housing at three Cuyahoga County locations. EDEN is a Cleveland-based nonprofit that works with community and government partners to develop housing solutions for people facing housing insecurity and homelessness.

Cuyahoga Community College received more than $212,000 to replace and upgrade signage across 38 buildings and its Transportation Innovation Center.

The investments are aimed at "building stronger, more resilient communities across Cuyahoga County," Synenberg said, adding that they "support both immediate needs and long-term community growth."

Seniors Town Hall Draws Multi-Agency Support

On Feb. 19, Synenberg held the Seniors First Town Hall in Lyndhurst — one of District 21's six municipalities and an easy drive for Euclid-area residents. He co-hosted the event with the Community Partnership on Aging, the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, the Federal Trade Commission and Cuyahoga County's Scam Squad.

Panelists walked attendees through scam-prevention strategies, property-tax legislation updates and connections to local, state and federal resources. "It was incredible seeing our community come together to discuss important issues facing older Ohioans," Synenberg said, describing the goal as making sure seniors have "access to trusted information and the tools necessary to stand up to the scams and financial challenges that too often target them."

Kelsey Smith Act Targets Emergency Response Delays

Four days before the funding announcement, on Feb. 5, Synenberg and State Rep. Cindy Abrams of District 29 introduced the Kelsey Smith Act as House Bill 677 in the 136th General Assembly.

The bill would let law enforcement obtain a person's cellphone location from a telecommunications company without a subpoena when the person's life is in immediate danger. It would also codify criteria for Ohio's Endangered Missing Child Alert, establish an automatic notification process for those alerts, stiffen penalties for taking a child out of state to a foreign nation in custody-interference cases, and require certain arrest warrants to be entered into LEADS and NCIC with a nationwide pickup radius.

The legislation is named for Kelsey Ann Smith, an 18-year-old from Overland Park, Kansas, who was abducted from a Target parking lot on June 2, 2007, and later murdered. Her wireless provider took about four days to release cellphone-location data to investigators; her body was found within roughly 45 minutes after the information finally arrived.

The proposal "began with an advocate who believed Ohio could do more to keep people safe," Synenberg said. Abrams framed the measure in similar terms: "Keeping people safe is my top priority. This bill will help our law enforcement as they serve our communities. I am looking forward to working our bill through the committee process and sending it to the Governor for his signature."

What It Adds Up To for District 21

Synenberg's February tally — nearly $2 million in countywide higher-education and housing funding, a multi-agency seniors event and emergency-response legislation with statewide reach — shows activity, though the open question for Euclid residents is direct local investment. The Controlling Board dollars went to countywide institutions and housing sites rather than Euclid addresses, meaning district residents benefit as users of those facilities and services, not as direct grant recipients. Whether future rounds of state funding land closer to home is worth watching.