Neighborhoods

Real estate agents, attorneys and elected officials are joining the discussion about the need for affordable housing in the Mahoning Valley and across the state. Bricker Graydon, a law firm with offices throughout Ohio, and the Ohio Realtors and the County Commissioners Association of Ohio organized a meeting Tuesday to discuss housing inventory issues in the Valley.

A panel discussion about housing issues was moderated by Mandy Hicks of the law firm. Panelists were Alexa Sweeney Blackann, interim CEO of Lake to River Economic Development; Ian Beniston, executive director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.; Nick Chretien, planning and regional development manager at the Western Reserve Port Authority; and Jacquelin Lewis of Bricker Graydon.

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

Ohio Representative Lauren McNally announced that the Ohio Department of Development has approved $1.1 million in grant funding for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Program. This grant approval is a part of the Department of Development's Housing Assistance Grant Program.

To read the full story from WFMJ, click here. 

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. received $1.1 million in grant funding from the Ohio Department of Development. The money will provide needed home repairs and accessibility modifications for homeowners who are at or below 50% of the area’s median income. The grants are provided to nonprofit agencies that make emergency home repairs and renovations.

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

Since 2021, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation has been redeveloping properties on the south side and throughout Mahoning County. They’ve been revitalizing Glenwood Avenue in Youngstown by building new affordable duplexes, two of which were completed last fall.

To read the full story from Mahoning Matters click here.

ORCHID:  To the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. for its new plans to build three duplexes in the 3000 block of Glenwood Avenue with a premium on energy efficiency.To the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. for its new plans to build three duplexes in the 3000 block of Glenwood Avenue with a premium on energy efficiency. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom duplexes at 3013, 3021 and 3031 Glenwood will be the first YNDC has constructed with solar panels. Ian Beniston, YNDC executive director, said that feature will enable tenants in the all-electric housing units to have no power bills during most months. The Glenwood Corridor development is the latest in a string of affordable housing construction in the city that is helping to revitalize and repopulate Youngstown. We salute YNDC and hope that its momentum just keeps on building.

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

Nineteen nonprofits across the state received grants from Ohio to help local residents keep their homes safe and livable, including two in the Mahoning Valley area. Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development, announced a total of $6.8 million in grants for over 1,000 low- and moderate-income Ohioans. TOP VIDEOS In Mahoning and Trumbull counties, the department delegated $1,500,000 for improvements to housing and down payment assistance. “This funding helps fill critical gaps for Ohioans who need support now—supporting essential repairs, accessibility updates, and down payment assistance that improve quality of life and provide greater stability,” Mihalik said. The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation will be getting $1,100,000 as part of the program.

To read the full story from Mahoning Matters, click here. 

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) and its partners continue to build new, affordable homes in the city and address a critical housing shortage.

To read the full story from WKBN, click here. 

April is Fair Housing Month, honoring the passage of the Fair Housing Act back in 1968 and current efforts to make homes affordable for everyone. Local and regional advocates for affordable housing in the Mahoning Valley recently met at the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. 

The Youngstown Columbiana Association of REALTORS hosted a discussion on collaborative, public finance-based solutions for increasing housing in the Mahoning Valley. Several speakers outlined challenges and solutions to increase housing in the area, starting with Mahoning County commissioners Geno DiFabio and Carol Rimedio-Righetti. “We can’t fail; we have to get this done,” DiFabio said. “We expect people to move here for jobs, we’ve gotta have a place for them to go.”  

Commissioner Rimedo-Righetti said there’s great economic value in the area, but homes need to be less expensive to attract new residents. “This is much needed in our community, because as we see economic development building across the country, hopefully that will stay,” she said. “We want people coming into the community who need affordable housing, not $500,000 homes but within the $60,000 - $90,000 range so they can actually come here and live comfortably.” Angela Javorsky with the Youngstown-Columbiana Association of REALTORS provided figures comparing average residential sale price changes from 2024 into 2025 for Mahoning and Trumbull counties. In 2024, Mahoning County had 500 homes on the market with an average listing price of $189,799. In 2025, there are 477 available units listed at an average price of $196,412, a 3.5% increase. In Trumbull County, there were 409 homes on the market in 2024 with an average listing price of $156,571. In 2025, there are 357 available units listed on average around $185,265, an 18.4% increase. “Locally, we are well below the average state prices, which makes our area so attractive,” Javorsky said. “In March of 2025, already there are 45 homes for sale in Mahoning County, 268 in Trumbull County and 199 in Columbiana County.” Javorsky also explained the specific challenges the Mahoning Valley is facing in the housing market. “Homeowners are reluctant to sell. There’s also limited infrastructure due to high cost and local government restrictions, like zoning issues and access to public utilities,” she said. “Our area is resilient and remains affordable.” Assistant vice president of the Ohio REALTORS, Veronica Cardello, explained how the organization helped introduced the Housing Ohio guidebook to address some issues. “We were trying to figure out how to solve Ohio’s housing crisis, not just necessarily in one particular area of Ohio, but as a whole,” Cardello said. “After nearly two decades of demolishing related areas and weighted properties and everything like that, we didn’t have a solution for what to do with those properties after we formed out. So this is one solution.”

The second half of the session was led by moderator Mandy Hicks with Bricker Graydon and a panel of local experts, consisting of: Alexa Sweeney Blackann, interim CEO of Lake to River Economic Development Nick Chretien, Planning and Regional Development Manager, Western Reserve Port Authority Ian Beniston, Executive Director of Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation Jacquelin Lewis, Partner, Bricker Graydon LLP Beniston provided his perspective on possible solutions locally to improve housing opportunities for homeowners and renters.

To read the full story from Mahoning Matters, click here. 

After going through a divorce, Suzi found herself at a crossroads. She was exploring rental options when she was struck by how high monthly rents had become. “If I’m going to pay this much,” she recalled thinking, “I may as well buy.”

But the idea of homeownership felt overwhelming. Suzi wasn’t confident her credit score, income, or financial situation would support living independently. That uncertainty led her to Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) after she learned through Facebook and word of mouth about our Housing Counseling Program.

That’s when she met Alex, YNDC’s HUD-Certified Housing Counselor. From their very first conversation, Suzi said she felt a sense of calm. “Talking to Alex helped me realize my debt wasn’t as overwhelming as I thought. He helped me make sense of everything.” With his guidance, Suzi developed a financial plan and was able to pay off three credit cards. That progress gave her the momentum she needed to take the next step toward purchasing a home.

What stood out to Suzi throughout the process was the steady, practical support she received. “Alex was always friendly and calm. I felt like I could come to him with any questions. He walked me through everything—from looking at my finances, to understanding what to expect during lending, closing, and beyond.”

Before their first sessions, Suzi admits she was nervous. But that quickly changed. “Every so often, Alex would just check in and say, ‘Here are the numbers. Here’s what we’re looking at.’ That’s what I needed—someone to help me focus and understand.”

With Alex’s help and the support of the Housing Counseling Program, Suzi successfully purchased a home. She has been in the house for a few weeks now and is beginning to settle in. “It feels like a blank canvas,” she said. “I can finally make it my own, and I just love that feeling.” She's also building connections in her new neighborhood and appreciates how friendly her neighbors are.

The home itself checked all the right boxes: timeless character paired with modern features. Suzi was also drawn to the area because of the City of Youngstown’s down payment assistance program and has since enrolled in the city’s $15,000 energy efficiency grant to replace her windows—another way she’s investing in her new beginning.

Her message to other prospective buyers is clear: “Whether you think you need it or not, go through the Housing Counseling Program. It better prepared me for the loan process, which can be really overwhelming.”

Today, Suzi is a proud homeowner and an advocate for YNDC’s work. “This is a valuable resource people should take advantage of. It helped me more than I could have imagined.”

Three newly-renovated homes are up for sale in the Idora neighborhood of Youngstown, commemorated with a tree-planting ceremony hosted by community organizations. In April, the Mahoning County Land Bank and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation unveiled three of six newly constructed homes on Mineral Springs Ave. in Youngstown.

To read the full story from Mahoning Matters, click here.