Dr. B.J. Fletcher, Visiting Assistant Professor with the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, served as a co-author on “Cuyahoga County Grocery Store Assessment, 2023.” Developed in collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, Cuyahoga County Planning Commission, and the Cleveland Department of Public Health, the assessment was designed to help public sector entities and neighborhood leaders to better understand the grocery store landscape, learn from implementation efforts, and develop proactive policy solutions. 

The assessment finds there are 223 small, mid and large-scale grocery stores and 11,000 grocery workers in Cuyahoga County, and about 14% (178,000) of county residents are lower-income AND lack a grocery store in their neighborhood – what we characterize as a food desert. Families living in these locations are also less likely to own a vehicle. 

According to the report, “High profile grocery store closures in working class neighborhoods have galvanized community efforts and political will to address grocery store gaps – albeit in a reactive manner. Grocery stores are an essential part of our communities, providing access to food, medicine, jobs, household items and banking services.”  

For more information please visit: https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/urban_facpub/1786/