WARREN — The Warren City Schools have transferred the site of the former Emerson Elementary School to the Western Reserve Port Authority, paving the way for the construction of new market-rate housing in the community.

The Warren Board of Education approved of the transfer in a 4-0 vote during a special meeting Thursday.

The land will be developed by Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, a local nonprofit focused on neighborhood revitalization, as part of its ongoing efforts to combat blight and spur economic growth in Warren.

In a statement, TNP called it a significant milestone stating it has spent the past 15 years addressing vacant and dilapidated properties through renovation and demolition. This will be the organization’s first new construction project in Warren, with plans to build four single-family homes on the site. The homes will be sold to owner-occupants, aiming to stabilize neighborhoods and boost the local tax base.

“We are grateful to the Warren City Schools for the transfer of this site and for their continued partnership, along with the city of Warren and the North West Neighborhood Association on this project,” said Matt Martin, Executive Director of Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership.

“This is our first new construction project in Warren after 15 years of blight remediation. The city is ready to move forward, and with many new and exciting projects in the community, now is the time to invest in our neighborhoods by building new and #BuildingABetterWarren.”

Warren City Schools Superintendent Steve Chiaro was excited about the project, noting its potential to benefit the community.

“We became aware in the fall that TNP was awarded a grant to put new homes in, which is the next phase of what they’ve been doing for so long here in our community — revitalizing, refurbishing or demolishing,” Chiaro said. “This is an exciting step for the city of Warren to go from where we were to where this entire project needs to go.”

Chiaro said the project will help in addressing the city’s inventory of vacant lots.

“With over 1,000 vacant lots in the city, if we get the opportunity to build some new homes, given the size of some of our former school properties that are sitting vacant, we’re able to put more than one home together in a cluster,” he said. “I think it is an opportunity to improve home values as well as providing some additional tax income for the tax base in the city of Warren.”

The former Emerson Elementary site, which has been vacant for years, was one of several properties maintained by the school district after its closure. While the district had no immediate plans for the site, Chiaro noted that the transfer eliminates maintenance costs and contributes to the city’s revitalization efforts.

“This is a positive step for the community,” Chiaro said. “Every additional house that’s paying taxes increases the revenue coming in, which is a benefit for the taxpayers in the city of Warren.”

Construction is expected to begin in the coming months, with the first homes slated for completion by late 2025.

All board members were in attendance, minus the excused absence of Patrick Flanagan.