Neighborhoods

A determined and diverse group of citizens is demanding the owner of hundreds of rental properties scattered throughout the city take steps to make major improvements.

“No one deserves this; no one deserves to live in deplorable conditions,” Jack Daugherty, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp’s neighborhood stabilization director, said.

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

Community members gathered in Youngstown on Wednesday demanding that a landlord make repairs on properties.

The Youngstown Housing Task Force, ACTION and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC), as well as other community members, were on E. Midlothian Boulevard for a demonstration in front of the company’s management agency, All State Property Management. 

To read the full story from WYTV, click here. 

Members of The Youngstown Housing Task Force made their voices heard on Wednesday as they gathered to protest the practices of Allstate Property Management who manages the properties for Youngstown Houses LLC.

Youngstown Houses LLC owns 304 houses in the city of Youngstown – 90 of which are in code enforcement, according to Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

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

A person who identified themselves as a representative of the owner of Youngstown Houses, LLC contacted WKBN to respond to reports that the company was disregarding complaints about repair issues, saying that the tenants speaking out are just disgruntled about rental price increases.

Maria Hernandez emailed WKBN and then returned a phone call from WKBN, identifying herself as a representative of the owner. She did not provide further information about the owner but said the company is set up much like other companies, saying its property management, All State Property Management, handles the daily operations. Hernandez added that the property management company is available to tenants who need assistance.

Hernandez said they wanted to clear up misconceptions. “As with every story, there’s two sides, so we wanted to show our side as well,” she said. A statement sent to WKBN from Youngstown Houses, LLC notes that when the company purchased its properties from Gary Crim, Inc., there were also delinquencies in rental payments exceeding $100,000. The company says the previous landlord “chose not to pursue evictions for non-payment, resulting in below-market rental and average living conditions.”

As WKBN reported, Youngstown Houses, LLC purchased 290 single-family homes and 17 multi-family duplexes from Gary Crim, Inc. in April 2023 in a $5.6 million deal. The company caught the attention of the Youngstown Housing Task Force as members of the task force said they received several complaints from residents who detailed an inability to reach the company or get repairs completed in a timely manner. The task force held a rally Wednesday outside of the company’s property management company, which is located inside the Turnberry Apartments on E. Midlothian Boulevard, after they tried to speak with management but found no one there.

The task force has been trying to get the company to sign a community agreement, promising to make repairs and address other issues. Hernandez did not comment as to whether they would be willing to sign such an agreement but said they had not received prior communications from the task force. Jack Daugherty, neighborhood stabilization director for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation and a member of the task force, said the task force made multiple attempts to contact Youngstown Houses, LLC, including sending a certified letter to All State Property Management, which was accepted with a signature on April 27. 

To read the full story from WKBN, click here. 

Yvette Howell has rented her Lanterman Avenue house on the city’s south side for more than 20 years with few complaints. That was until last year. In a year’s time, Howell says her rent has nearly doubled, rising from $500 per month to $900.  Moreover, while she said her house is in “livable” condition, the entity that owns the house or its local property manager has not responded to her calls to make necessary repairs or to remove trees that were cut down in November. “The only response I got is my rent went up three different times,” she said. “I was told they didn’t have any workers.”

In April 2023, Youngstown Houses LLC purchased 304 housing units from Gary Crim Inc. for $5.6 million, including Howell’s house.  She said the new landlords and the management company it hired – All State Property Management — have all but ignored her requests for necessary repairs. “They’ve never been in my house,” she lamented.

Howell was among approximately 100 demonstrators Wednesday who mobilized in front of Turnberry Apartments at 834 E. Midlothian Blvd., an apartment complex owned by Youngstown Houses and managed by All State.  The event was organized by community groups Youngstown Housing Task Force, Action, and the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.

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

The city’s board of control is expected to vote today on $5.3 million worth of American Rescue Plan programs with the largest being $5 million to help people buy and maintain homes in Youngstown. City council on Dec. 20 approved creating the “At Home in Youngstown” $5 million fund to be administered by Huntington Bank. The agenda for today’s board of control agenda includes a professional services agreement with Huntington for the $5 million and a memorandum of understanding with Catholic Charities to handle applications for the funding.

Expenses covered under the program include a maximum of $5,000 for down payments and closing costs and up to an additional $10,000 for interior plumbing, electrical and structural repairs and energy efficient upgrades to windows, furnaces and hot water tanks. Those who qualify must live in the house in the city for at least five years or the funds have to be returned. Total annual household income must fall between $27,450 and $104,220 with the homebuyer’s minimum contribution being $500.

The $5 million for At Home in Youngstown is one of the largest ARP allocations for a single program in Youngstown. The city received $82,775,370 in ARP funds. The two other ARP items on the board’s agenda are $250,000 for corridor improvements in the 2nd Ward and $50,000 for solar security lights in the 6th Ward. Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward, sponsored the corridor improvements legislation at council’s June 20 meeting.

The ARP funds will go to the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. to manage improvements on properties adjacent to primary and secondary thoroughfares in the ward, which includes most of the East Side.

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

Monday, July 22, 2024. 

On July 22, the KeyBank Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant to YNDC for home repair. The funds will be used for the emergency home repair program to assist low income homeowners with emergencies such as furnace and plumbing repairs at no cost. 

Many thanks to the KeyBank Foundation for the support!

Wednesday, July 24, 2024. 

On July 18, YNDC was awarded $50,000 in 6th Ward ARP Funds. The  program will provide security lights to households with members 65 or older and businesses located in Qualified Census Tracts in the 6th Ward in order to prevent and solve crime following evidence-based Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) practices. YNDC will be undertaking this program in the Greater Glenwood Avenue area and hopes to expand further if the program demonstrates success. This support will allow YNDC to serve approximately 50 additional residents, property owners and businesses in the 6th Ward. Many thanks to the City of Youngstown and Councilwoman Anita Davis!

Wednesday, July 23, 2024. 

On July 18, YNDC was awarded $250,000 in 2nd Ward ARP funding to make physical improvements and eliminate blight along corridors in the 2nd Ward. The work will include repair and improvements to existing buildings, pedestrian scale infrastructure improvements such as benches and lighting at transit stops, vacant lot clean up and greening, and removal of dead trees and planting of new trees. Many thanks to the City of Youngstown and Councilman Jimmy Hughes!

Monday, July 29, 2024. 

On July 23, NeighborWorks America awarded YNDC with a $20,000 Non-Network partnership grant. The funding will be used to build YNDC's financial management capacity for continued growth. Many thanks to NeighborWorks America!