Neighborhoods

From the passenger seat of a moving car, Ian Beniston was pointing out the small victories in his war on blight. “That’s a duplex we own. We renovated and sold that brick house. That’s a triplex we own. That’s a house we got for free from a guy in California,” said Beniston, the executive director of the Youngstown Community Development Corporation. “This is the last bad vacant one on the street. It was built in the 1890s. I think we’re close to finally getting it through tax foreclosure, though.” 

To read the full story from mLive.com, click here. 

Thursday, June 27, 2024. 

On Thursday, June 27, YNDC Executive Director, Ian Beniston, was sworn in as a board member of the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority (YMHA). His term begins immediately and expires on November 28, 2027. 

Buying a home can be intimidating and it’s not always the easiest process. The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) is making it a lot simpler through its housing counseling program. 

To read the full story from WKBN, click here. 

A man who is passionate about revitalizing the city has been appointed to the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority (YMHA) Board of Commissioners.

Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC), will fill the seat left by Brigid Kennedy, who resigned from the board in April.

To read the full story from WKBN, click here. 

Probate Judge Robert N. Rusu Jr. announced that Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, has been appointed to the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.

To read the full story from The Business Journal, click here. 

Probate Judge Robert N. Rusu Jr. has announced that he has appointed Ian Beniston to the Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Beniston’s appointment fills the open seat left by Brigid Kennedy, who resigned at the end of April. Beniston will complete the remainder of Kennedy’s five-year term, which expires Nov. 28, 2027.

Beniston is the executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. 

To read the full story from the Vindicator, click here. 

On June 7, the First National Bank Community Foundation awarded YNDC with a $15,000 grant to support YNDC's housing programs including housing counseling and emergency repair. The Housing Counseling Program empowers low- to moderate-income residents to identify and overcome barriers to homeownership, including inadequate savings, income, credit history, and understanding of the home buying process, and prepare them for future homeownership; and to provide existing low- to moderate-income homeowners with resources to maximize their limited incomes and minimize repair costs so that they can avoid foreclosure and improve their living conditions. The emergency home repair program assists low-income homeowners with emergencies such as furnace and plumbing repairs at no cost.

Many thanks to the First National Bank Community Foundation for their continued support!

Youngstown CityScape has announced the receipt of two grants totaling $30,000 for an initiative to plant thousands of trees across the Mahoning Valley. According to a press release, this money came in the form of $20,000 from the Western Reserve Health Foundation and another $10,000 from the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley. The funding will go towards the Mahoning Valley Tree Corps Project, which is an initiative to plant 5,000 street trees across the Valley, provide urban forestry education and offer emergency tree removal services. Youngstown CityScape is working in partnership with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) and the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership (TNP) on this project.

To read the full story from WFMJ, click here. 

Youngstown CityScape has received two grant awards in support of the Mahoning Valley Tree Corps project. The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley awarded $10,000 through its general fund, and the Western Reserve Health Foundation contributed an additional $20,000. “Receiving these grants is a key step and indicates community support for our Mahoning Valley Tree Corps project,” said Sharon Letson, executive director of CityScape. “This funding will allow us to invest in the necessary equipment to start restoring our urban tree canopy and making a tangible impact in our community.”

The Mahoning Valley Tree Corps project is a $5 million initiative in Youngstown and Warren. Youngstown CityScape has partnered with Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation and Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership on the project, which aims to plant 5,000 street trees to provide shade, improve air quality and beautify urban areas.

To read the full story from The Business Journal, click here. 

Tuesday, July 9, 2024. 

YNDC is proud to announce the publishing of its performance report from the 2nd Quarter of 2024!

The performance report highlights the work of YNDC from January to June 2024.

An electronic copy can be downloaded below.