Neighborhoods

August 18, 2025 

The National Community Reinvestment Coalition Field Empowerment Fund has awarded a $10,000 grant to YNDC for Housing Counseling. YNDC's 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 prepares them for future homeownership; and provides 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.

Many thanks to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition for their support!

Todd Graff is a Grass Cutting and Clean Up Team Member for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. Todd collaborates with a team of professional and labor staff in the implementation of large scale grass cutting and clean up of vacant homes, boarding of vacant housing, vacant lot management, basic construction, and other field and maintenance projects to improve the quality of life in strategic Youngstown neighborhoods.

August 27, 2025

YNDC has completed the second phase of the Bernard Street project. Phase two of the Bernard Street revitalization project included the construction of three new single family homes at 1048, 1016, and 1008 Bernard Street now known as Cliff View Street. The homes will be sold to homeowners.

Phase one of the Bernard Street revitalization project included: the assembly of land on the street; clearing of more than 500 cubic yards of debris, installation of new infrastructure: sidewalks, curbing, street paving, water boxes, etc; completion of home repair for an existing homeowner; construction of three new homes; and preparation of three additional lots for a second phase which will construct three additional homes and break ground in the coming months.

Phase one and two were made possible through funding support from the First Ward American Rescue Plan funding from the City of Youngstown allocated by Councilman Julius Oliver and HOME funds from the City of Youngstown. PNC and WesBanco provided the construction financing for the project. The vacant lots were assembled by and acquired from the Mahoning County Land Bank. The builder for the project was Joe Koch Construction. The project also received support from The Raymond John Wean Foundation, City of Youngstown, and the Glenwood Neighbors Business Association. 

August 27, 2025

The Ebony Ladies Golf And Youth Foundation completed an improvement project at their facility on Northwood Avenue. The project installed a new turf putting green and sand bunker. The community putting green is open to the public for youth, adults, and seniors on Northwood Avenue in Youngstown's 2nd Ward. The project was made possible with funding support from Second Ward Councilman Jimmy Hughes, with YNDC serving as the fiscal agent. Hats off to the Ebony Ladies Golf and Youth Foundation!

August 27, 2025

The City of Youngstown and YNDC are working together to advance neighborhood improvement projects across the city. The work is focused on blocks with new housing construction and vacant home renovation underway or planned in the near term. The work includes the replacement of broken and failing sidewalks, removal of dead and dying street trees, planting of new street trees, cameras, and other targeted improvements. Targeted streets include: Beachwood Drive, Lakewood Circle, Maranatha Drive, Stocker Ave, Bonnie Brae Ave, Lake Drive, Aberdeen Ave, Outlook Ave, Upland Ave, Granada Ave, Ohio Ave, Helena Ave, Sheridan Rd, N Schenley Ave, Wesley Ave, Burbank Ave, Wilkinson Ave, Glen Oaks Ave, Canfield Rd, Shirley Rd, and Clearmont Drive. Huge thanks to the City of Youngstown for making this happen!

August 27, 2025

YNDC continues making progress with new housing construction. In June YNDC completed six new homes on Mineral Springs Ave and three more on Bernard Street in July. YNDC currently has 22 single family homes under construction and three duplexes. The duplexes will be complete in the coming month and the first of the 22 new homes will be completed in the next month.

September 3, 2025

YNDC was awarded two grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Affordable Housing Program for Home Repair in Sharon and Farrell, Pennsylvania. The grants were $500,000 each for a total of $1,000,000. The funding will be used to complete home repairs on 25 homes in each community. The funding will be used for essential home repair and include items like roofs, furnaces, and water heaters. The projects will be coordinated with stakeholders in both communities to align with community stabilization efforts.  

The Disability Opportunity Fund is partnering with YNDC as the member institution. Thank you to the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and the Disability Opportunity Fund!

“It is happening,” said Stephanie Gilchrist, the city’s economic development director. “But development takes a long time.”

Gilchrist said her charge is to assemble and help develop 500 new single-family houses by 2030. However, much of this is well underway, with organizations such as the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. and the Mahoning County Land Bank helping to spearhead construction and development of new housing units.

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

On Monday, the Youngstown Foundation announced $1.2 million in grants, including $400,000 to the Butler Institute of American Art to support two major renovation projects.

16 other Youngstown nonprofit organizations were also awarded Youngstown Foundation grants:

Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation; Capacity to Build Affordable Housing: $200,000

To read the full story from WKBN, click here.

The Youngstown Foundation has awarded $1.2 million in grants, including $400,000 to the Butler Institute of American Art to support two major renovation projects.

Sixteen other local nonprofit organizations were awarded Youngstown Foundation grants, including:

Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Capacity to Build Affordable Housing, $200,000

To read the full story from Tribune Chronicle, click here.