Neighborhoods

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. and the Raymond John Wean Foundation won three of the seven statewide awards given by the Ohio Community Development Corp. Association at its annual conference in Kent.

Ian Beniston, YNDC executive director, was selected as CDC Staff Member of the Year, and Tiffany Sokol, YNDC housing director, was chosen for the Stephanie Bevens Award honoring strong community advocates who demonstrate commitment and entrepreneurial spirit.

The Wean Foundation was selected as the CDC Partner of the Year for its support and work with YNDC and the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership. These selections, announced Friday, were made by a panel of third-party judges who evaluated the efforts of the outstanding work of nominees from across Ohio over the past 12 months.

“These awards are further recognition of the hard work of our collective team, which includes not only YNDC and the Wean Foundation, but also the city of Youngstown, many committed funders and stakeholders, and thousands of engaged residents and volunteers,” Beniston said.

To read the full story at Vindy.com, click here.

On Friday afternoon, over a short two block stretch of Elm Street between Madison and Park avenues in Youngstown, men were on ladders, sidewalks were being cleaned and crosswalks created with duct tape, all in preparation for the weekend’s unveiling of a new group, North of Madison Avenue Association, or NOMA.

NOMA was formed to identify the specific area, as well as those who are involved in building up and promoting the neighborhood.

“We’re really trying to identify this as a destination of places to eat and shop on the North Side,” said NOMA Organizer Melissa Miller.

Miller works for the Commonwealth Kitchen Incubator, which has taken the lead in creating NOMA. The signs on the houses and buildings in the area — NOMA hardware, wellness center, the local fare restaurant signs — they are promoting fake businesses, with the hope that someday they will be filled.

“I tried to pin people down on exactly what the objectives of NOMA were. I was told it was a loose group; it was just starting out, so a lot of different things can happen. What they needed was a brand, and what they came up with was North of Madison Avenue.

NOMA will focus on a square mile north of Madison Avenue — Wick Avenue and Logan Way to Saranac Avenue, and Redondo Road to Belmont Avenue and back to Madison.

Rodd Coonce is an anchor of the neighborhood, having run Dorian Books and Full Circle Florist for the past 16 years. Coonce said he is invested in the area, and he is hoping that others will as well.

“Those of us who have invested in the area, that are pioneers in the area, are hoping to say let’s turn that around now and make this into a viable part of town,” he said. “With the university being our neighbor right across the street, there’s no reason for it not to be.”

Miller said many of the homes in the neighborhood were boarded up just 30 days ago. Now, they are seeing life.

“Now the windows are open, house fronts have been painted, people are painting the fronts of their stores, getting new signs,” she said. “It’s really exciting, energizing and invigorating."

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Mayor John McNally would like to see a grocery store and pharmacy go into the former Bottom Dollar Food store on Glenwood Avenue, he said today.

An ordinance before City Council at its meeting Wednesday would authorize the city’s Board of Control to negotiate terms and enter into a gift agreement with Aldi. The property will be deeded to the city and closing costs , not to exceed $5,000, will be paid out of city funds.

“It’s important for us to have that property,” McNally said. “With all of the hard work that is being done by the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., the Idora Neighborhood Association and the other residents of the Glenwood Avenue corridor, making sure that that area has good access to good food and produce is very important.”

The Glenwood Avenue store, built on the site of a former South Side school, was one of three stores the Bottom Dollar Food chain opened in the city in February 2012, the other two located on Mahoning Avenue and Midlothian Boulevard. The following year it opened stores in Warren and in New Castle, Pa.

In late 2014, the chain’s parent, Delhaize Group, sold the Bottom Dollar Food stores to Aldi Inc., which operates several stores in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys, and subsequently closed them.

According to Mahoning County records, the total value of the building and property is $685,770. That includes $565,540 from construction of the supermarket building on the site.

Once the city formally takes title to the site, it will issue a request for proposals from interested parties. “But the city’s first priority would be a grocery store and some type of pharmacy services,” McNally said.

Before the Bottom Dollar Food store’s opening, the South Side neighborhood had been without a full-service grocery store for several years.

The Glenwood Avenue property is the only one of the three former Bottom Dollar Food locations involved in the council legislation. The owner of the Mahoning Plaza, where the Mahoning Avenue store is located, is in discussions with Aldi regarding the site. Bottom Dollar Food had acquired the Midlothian site sometime after opening there and is marketing that property itself, McNally said.

A 30-day contingency period will go into effect once the agreement between the city and Aldi is signed and council members approve the ordinance, said Anthony Donofrio, deputy law director.

Within the first 10 days of that period the city will conduct a title search on the property.

“If we’re satisfied with the search we can waive the contingency period,” Donofrio said. “Then Aldi will transfer the property to the city by way of warranty deed.”

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The Ohio CDC Association today announced its 2015 Member Awards during the Association’s 31^st annual conference at the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center.

The two-day gathering, Oct. 1-2, convened 250 community development leaders from around Ohio under the theme, Igniting Collaborative Innovation.

The 2015 winners and their awards are:

• St Clair Superior Development Corporation, CDC of the Year

• Ian Beniston, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, CDC Staff Member of the Year

• Over-the-Rhine Community Housing – Beasley Place, CDC Project of the Year

• Olajuwan Smith, G.O. Community Development Corporation, CDC Community Leader of the Year

• Tiffany Sokol, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Stephanie J. Bevens Award Winner

• Heather Sturgill, Ned D. Neuhausel Award

• The Raymond John Wean Foundation, CDC Partner of the Year

“This year’s award winners inspire us all to step up our revitalization efforts,” said Nate Coffman, executive director of the Ohio CDC Association. “Their dedication and hard work give us examples of what’s possible in each of our communities. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and our members, we congratulate them for their outstanding achievements.”

The Ohio CDC Association is a statewide membership organization of Community Development Corporations that engages in capacity building, advocacy and public policy development that fosters socially and economically healthy communities. 

Information on 2015 OCDCA Member Awards:

St Clair Superior Development Corporation, CDC of the Year

St Clair Superior Development Corporation serves the many neighborhoods of St Clair Superior, one of Cleveland’s most diverse and historic communities. In its mission is to drive neighborhood development & transformation, SCSDC has worked to engage its residents, businesses, and all of Northeast Ohio through its efforts. Trying to bring attention and support for a long-struggling and disinvested neighborhood, the staff at SCSD has started innovative programs to change the conversation about what is possible in Cleveland and other Rust Belt cities. From simple strategies like Urban Lambscape – using sheep to maintain vacant land in the city at a fraction of the cost of traditional mowing, to more complex approaches such as UpCycle St Clair – a comprehensive arts-based strategy showing how creative reuse can lift an entire neighborhood – SCSDC has challenged traditional notions of the scope and limits of Ohio’s community development agencies. As it now unrolls its ag[re]culture project, SCSDC is exploring new ways to engage its constituency through establishing a food culture in one of Cuyahoga County’s worst food deserts. In every program SCSDC undertakes, they begin by changing the conversation: from one of decay or lack of resources into one of possibilities. They then work with their well-developed network of partners to drive those possibilities until they become reality.

Ian Beniston, Executive Director, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, CDC Staff Member of the Year

Ian Beniston is the Executive Director of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) located in Youngstown, Ohio. Prior to becoming Executive Director, Ian spent five years as YNDC’s Deputy Director. Ian is responsible for the organization’s consistent achievement of its mission and financial objectives. He is also responsible for the day to day operations of the organization. His duties include management of program staff, development of innovative programming, resource development, budgeting and finance, marketing and communication strategies, development of strong partnerships and relationships among diverse stakeholders, and organizational development.

Ian brings nine years of urban planning and neighborhood development experience in the private, non-profit and public sectors. Previously, Ian served as Director of Policy for the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative. As Director of Policy, he served as a consultant to YNDC’s Board of Directors where he played an integral role in the creation and development of the organization. Ian also spent several years working for the nationally recognized urban planning consulting firm, ACP Visioning and Planning now known as planning NEXT. He began his career as an intern in the City of Youngstown’s Planning Department during the early stages of the award winning Youngstown 2010 planning process. Ian’s involvement with community initiatives includes serving on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Youngstown Redevelopment Code, steering committee of the Mahoning/Youngstown Vacant Property Initiative, and the executive committee of APA Cleveland. Ian also serves on the Board of Directors of the Community Corrections Association.

Ian was selected as a 40 under 40 award recipient in 2009, a 25 under 35 award recipient in 2013, and a Next City Vanguard, 40 under 40 making an impact in cities across America in 2014. Ian holds a Master of City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Youngstown State University. He has studied the European approach to reinventing older industrial cities at the Technical University of Dresden in Dresden, Germany. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has obtained Housing Development Finance Professional certification from the National Development Council.

Over-the-Rhine Community Housing – Beasley Place, CDC Project of the Year

Beasley Place, a newly renovated historic building located at 1405-1407 Republic Street, is a major and important step toward the goal of maintaining a diverse and inclusive community in Over-the-Rhine. Beasley Place is located just one block away from the newly renovated Washington Park and is in the heart of the area of the neighborhood that has seen millions of dollars of investment primarily in the high-income commercial and condo market. It is one of just a few new affordable housing developments done since the reinvestment in this area of Over-the-Rhine.

Beasley Place is impactful to the neighborhood because it is critical in helping to fight gentrification and is proof that high-income and affordable housing can co-exist and that the diversity in their coexistence improves the neighborhood rather than degrading it. Beasley Place is located next to a newly developed building containing ten condos that sold for between $150,000 and $290,000 and across the street from another high-end condo development as well as a single family home. Beasley Place in sharp contrast, houses thirteen individuals/families with monthly rents ranging from $288 to $613. All of the residents living at Beasley Place have income that are below 50% of the area median income, with three of the units reserved for tenants with income that are below 30% of the area median income. Beasley Place is also one of just a few housing options in Over-the-Rhine that are both affordable and accessible due to a newly constructed elevator in the courtyard of the building. Beasley Place was designed for both singles and families to live together with a mixture of unit types: six 1-bedroom units, four 2-bedroom units, and three 3-bedroom units. The building has a new elevator, laundry room, first floor commercial space, and an outdoor courtyard.

The property was completed in May of 2015 and was fully leased by August 1, 2015 showing the demand for quality affordable housing in the neighborhood. The project was also very unique in its funding structure because it did not utilize low-income housing tax credits or project-based Section 8 rental subsidy like many affordable housing projects do. The project received state and federal Historic Tax Credits, City of Cincinnati HOME funding, HDAP funding from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and a CRA tax exemption from the City of Cincinnati. The project has achieved Enterprise Green Communities certification and includes a number of energy saving upgrades including insulated exterior walls, new energy efficient windows in the rear and courtyard, and Energy Star lighting and appliances. The project is a complete renovation of an at-risk historic building with a long history of providing affordable housing for families in Over-the-Rhine. The building was built in 1897 and primarily housed families for the next century. The first floor contained a number of businesses over the years including a tailor shop, a salon, and even a Kroger’s grocery store in the 1930s. After over a decade of being vacant, the building is once again home to families who need affordable housing.

Olajuawan Smith, G.O. Community Development Corporation, CDC Community Leader of the Year

This summer Olajuawan Smith took the time out of his summer off from college to instruct classes at the G.O.C.D.C community center. These three hour classes ran for three months, three days a week. He devoted his time and skills to teach anyone who was interested in computer classes free of charge. He instructed a broad age-range of students, yet treated each student with the utmost respect. His teaching skills and presentations go well beyond his years. Not only does Mr. Smith give back to his community this way, he also works very closely with the center managing their website, newsletters and computer lab.

Tiffany Sokol, Housing Coordinator, Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Stephanie Bevens Award, honoring strong community advocates who have demonstrated commitment and entrepreneurial spirit

Tiffany Sokol is the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation’s (YNDC) Housing Director. Tiffany began as YNDC’s Office Manager in 2012. She was promoted to Program Coordinator one year later and promoted again to Housing Director in summer 2014. As a YNDC Program Coordinator, Tiffany began work in earnest to elevate the capacity of YNDC’s community lending and financial literacy services. She immediately began engaging local churches, schools, neighborhood groups, banks, community organizations, and other possible partners to increase awareness of YNDC’s services. This led to a significant increase in the demand for YNDC’s financial literacy and housing counseling and community lending. In her first year on the job, YNDC made nearly twenty first mortgages and YNDC has now originated more than fifty first and second mortgages. YNDC has also become a HUD-Certified counseling agency, achieved certification by the National Industry Standards for Homeownership Education and Counseling, and developed a significant counseling pipeline of low to moderate income clients to position them for success in pursuing their goals whether it be to expand or begin a micro-business or purchase a home.

In 2014, YNDC began offering micro-business services in partnership with other community organizations. These services include training classes, counseling services, and lending. Tiffany has spearheaded their counseling services for micro-business development, which have proven to be a critical component of the infrastructure needed to develop successful low-income entrepreneurs. The first class of entrepreneurs includes a car detailing business, new restaurant, party rental and urban farm. All of the first class of clients are low-income and minority residents of Youngstown neighborhoods.

Tiffany also expanded her responsibilities to management of all YNDC housing development efforts in 2014 to include the rehabilitation of vacant and occupied units. She has worked relentlessly to continue to refine YNDC’s methods and build our capacity and we are now rehabilitating more homes than ever. We are rehabilitating more than two dozen vacant homes in transitional neighborhoods without subsidy, which many said would never be possible five years ago.

Tiffany’s effort and the entrepreneurial mindset has increased YNDC’s impact and ability to rehabilitate more homes and has created real jobs for low-income residents of city neighborhoods, who are now employed on YNDC’s construction team. Tiffany continues to work hard to further grow our construction team and operations. Tiffany’s diligence, hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion for the success of her clients have resulted in growing opportunities for low-income residents of Youngstown neighborhoods.

Heather Sturgill, Ned Neuhausel Award, honoring housing developers who demonstrate a lifelong commitment to people with disabilities

Heather Sturgill’s work as a consultant focuses on addressing barriers to community living. Heather was instrumental in advocating for the City of Cincinnati to offer tax incentives to home builders who provide a “Visitable Home,” featuring an accessible entrance and exit, an accessible first floor restroom, and wider halls and doorways. As a result of this successful advocacy, for the first time in its history, three of the model homes in the 2014 CitiRAMA offered the feature of “Visitability” which made them welcoming to ALL visitors, regardless of age or ability!

The Raymond John Wean Foundation, CDC Partner of the Year

Founded in 1949, the foundation has served the Mahoning Valley for 66 years, supporting the community where the business flourished. In 2006, the Wean Foundation partnered with PolicyLink to refine a strategy for effective grantmaking in the Mahoning Valley, particularly in the challenged urban centers of Warren and Youngstown. The resulting effort created six strategic funding priorities – engaging residents, promoting inclusion, fostering leadership development, striving for social equity, strengthening connections, and promoting community investment. The new priorities represent an effort to build capacity and leadership in the Mahoning Valley.

In 2008, the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC) was created as an innovative community organization that brings together neighborhood, faith-based and labor groups in the Mahoning Valley to build the capacity necessary to create sustainable change. MVOC continues to identify and develop grassroots leaders, cultivate healthy neighborhoods, and build power to address inequality and promote racial, social, and economic justice. The Foundation and MVOC noted quickly that Youngstown and Warren lacked sufficient community development capacity. In 2009, the Wean Foundation partnered with the City of Youngstown to launch the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) to address that gap. YNDC’s efforts have leveraged millions into Youngstown’s neighborhoods and developed successful programming to address issues from food deserts to alternative models of homeownership. In 2010, the Wean Foundation helped launch Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership (TNP), Warren’s first CDC. TNP immediately began addressing issues diminishing the quality of life in Warren neighborhoods. TNP has empowered residents and promoted sustainable community development through projects and programs that increase the quality of life in Warren’s neighborhoods. TNP has successfully leveraged millions in funding to create a more vibrant community through home ownership, blight remediation, and increased access to fresh local foods. TNP also manages the Trumbull County Land Bank, which serves as a successful model and unique strategy for addressing the high level of vacant homes and lots throughout Warren and Trumbull County.

Though the Wean Foundation can be commended for a wide variety of reasons, perhaps the most significant achievement has been their unfailing commitment to the residents of Mahoning Valley as manifested by the long-term strategic commitment to support a cohort of organizations all engaged in the increase of quality of life for residents. The Foundation has continued to emphasize the value and strength of the residents of this Valley, despite significant economic struggles, rampant poverty, and deep segregation. The Wean Foundation has often been a driving force in efforts to combat such issues. Many community development partners can boast commendable initiatives toward this same end, but often those organizations were founded for such purposes alone. The Foundation redirected its focus with great intention and has continued, without fail, to stick to the plan and back up their financial commitments with support at all levels from resident engagement to national leadership and strategic giving that allows residents of the Mahoning Valley to realize effective, lasting change.

To view the full coverage, click here.

Monday, October 12, 2015

On Thursday, October 8 and Friday, October 9, a delegation from Youngstown including: YNDC Executive Director, Ian Beniston; City of Youngstown Community Planning and Economic Development Director, T. Sharon Woodberry; YSU Center for Urban and Regional Studies, City University Planning Coordinator, Dominic Marchionda; and Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, Community Development Program Manager, Sara Wenger participated in the Center for Community Progress' Gaining Traction: A Roundtable on Leveraging Local Assets in Small and Medium Sized Cities.

The event was held in Flint, Michigan. The Youngstown delegation participated in a tour of Flint and focused learning with other small cities. The Youngstown team shared the micro planning approach being utilized in around the Taft School.

Wednesday, Octover 14, 2015

On Tuesday, October 13, the John F Hynes and John D Finnegan Foundations made a combined $12,500 donation to YNDC for the development of its workshop and storage facility at 45 Oneta Street.

The 1440 square foot, 1.5 acre facility provides YNDC with space to maintenance its fleet of vehicles and professional landscaping equipment, and improvements made with these funds will enable the organization to expand the number of vacant home board-up and rehabilitation projects completed each year, the number of volunteers engaged, and the number of seasonal jobs that can be sustained through the winter months. 

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) seeks a hard-working individual interested in strengthening their skillset and experience in basic construction, landscaping, and property maintenance through the completion of projects to stabilize neighborhoods in Youngstown, Ohio.

This is a full-time national service position through the AmeriCorps State Program sponsored by ServeOhio. A modest living allowance and a basic health plan option are provided. Eligibility for a Segal Education Award (upon successful completion of at least 1700 hours of service) can help to pay your way through trade school, college, or student loan debt! The position will start at the end of October and last for 12 months. Interested parties can fill out an application at our office at 820 Canfield Road during normal business hours.

October 14, 2015

A kickoff meeting was held on October 14 for the Citywide Safe Routes to School project.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide key stakeholders an overview of the Safe Routes to School program and the process for developing the School Travel Plan and applying for implementation funding. Stakeholders included principals of schools in Youngstown, Youngstown City School District superintendent and board members, city officials, Youngstown City Council members, and YNDC staff. The planning process will identify issues that prevent students from safely walking and biking to school and will develop countermeasures to address these issues. Countermeasures will involve a mix of engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation activities. The City of Youngstown will use the Citywide School Travel Plan to apply for project funding in spring of 2016.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 5 recently compiled current practices on vacant lot greening as a resource on issues of stormwater management, construction specifications, job training, property maintenance and funding.

This research provides a snapshot of greening practices conducted by 11 spotlight cities including non-profit organizations, municipal offices, land banks and a sewer authority.

Spotlight cities and corresponding organizations include:

• Baltimore, Md. – City of Baltimore, Office of Sustainability.
• Buffalo, N.Y. – Buffalo Sewer Authority.
• Cincinnati, Ohio – Keep Cincinnati Beautiful.
• Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland Botanical Gardens.
• Detroit, Mich. – The Greening of Detroit.
• Flint, Mich. – Genesee County Land Bank Authority.
• Grand Rapids, Mich. – City of Grand Rapids, Economic Development Corporation.
• Indianapolis, Ind. – Keep Indianapolis Beautiful.
• Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
• Warren, Ohio – Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership.
• Youngstown, Ohio – Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation.

This research supports U.S. EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities’ technical assistance to the Genesee County Land Bank in Flint, Mich., on vacant lot greening strategies. Later this year, individual cities will be speaking about their own greening programs in a series of webinars hosted by EPA’s Office of Sustainable Communities. These webinars will provide current practices to other cities seeking to manage their portfolio of vacant properties.

'Better Block' Event - YOUNGSTOWN

A “Better Block” program on Midlothian Boulevard between Sheridan Road and Irma Avenue with pop-up businesses, outdoor cafes, performances and exhibitions and other activities will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 25.

The Midlothian Boulevard Better Block is made possible through support from the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., William Swanston Charitable Fund, Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, Brownlee Woods Neighborhood Association, Powerstown Block Watch, 7th Ward Citizens Coalition, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, the city and Councilman John R. Swierz, D-7th.

Career fair for RNs - YOUNGSTOWN

ValleyCare Northside Medical Center will have a career fair for registered nurses next Wednesday in Politis Auditorium, on the ground floor of Medical Office Building A at the hospital at 500 Gypsy Lane.

RNs are encouraged to stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. or 4 and 6 p.m. Newly graduated and graduating RNs are welcome to attend.

Drill permits issued - COLUMBUS

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued 18 horizontal-drilling permits during the week of Sept. 27 through Oct. 3. The permits were issued in Belmont, Carroll, Guernsey and Monroe countiesThe rig count for the Utica Shale Play is 21. There were no permits issued in the Mahoning Valley.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued two permits during the same week in Lawrence County. The permits were issued in North Beaver Township. There were no permits issued in Mercer County.

States collaborate - COLUMBUS

To maximize growth in the shale gas region, Ohio entered into a three-year agreement Tuesday with West Virginia and Pennsylvania to collaborate on areas critical to the success of the growing industry. The agreement was signed at the Tri-State Shale Summit in Morgantown, W.Va.

The three states will discuss ways to attract new businesses, strengthen workforce development programs, spur investments in expanding infrastructure and delivery of natural gas and liquids, and encourage its academic institutions to expand and collaborate on research.

Allegiant flight’s fire - LAS VEGAS

A California-bound Allegiant flight was evacuated in Las Vegas after an engine caught fire on the tarmac Sunday.

Allegiant Air Flight 516 was preparing to take off for Fresno at McCarran International Airport when a fire was reported in the right engine.None of the 160 passengers and six crew members was injured.The airline said the pilot aborted takeoff and reported the fire as the plane was rolling down the runway after indications of a mechanical issue.

The airline defended its safety record Monday, saying in a statement: “Safety is, above all, our top priority.”Allegiant has service at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in Vienna.

To view the full story at Vindy.com, click here.