Vacant convents repurposed by Community Service Alliance for Cleveland's homeless

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland based Community Service Alliance in is the process of repurposing a vacant Catholic convent into specialized housing for homeless men, transitioning into independent living.

The Sacrament House convent is located on the now-closed Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church campus on Fulton Avenue in Cleveland. The Blessed Sacrament property is owned by Bay Presbyterian Church of Bay Village.

Community Service Alliance (CSA) already operates the 22-room, Procop House, the former convent of the now-shuttered St. Procop Catholic parish on Cleveland's near west side.

According to Community Service Alliance Executive Director Tim Gleason, more than 150 formerly homeless men have graduated the Procop House program since it was established in 2005. The work being done at Sacrament House is by current residents and alumni of the Procop House.

Reggie Crumpton told NewsChannel5 he was assisted by CSA two years ago when he became homeless after making some poor life choices. 

"The program's been so good to me, I wanted to give back something," said Crumpton, as he removed old window hardware at Sacrament House recently. Crumpton said he now lives on his own and works as a building trades subcontractor.

Community Service Alliance expects it's residents to become involved in community service on some level as a condition of participation in their program of housing, employment and personal transition.

Gleason said the 13-bed Sacrament House is expected to open March 1, 2012.  He also said his organization would consider renovating other convents or vacant homes, noting that the rehabilitation work could be done by CSA residents in transition.