Latest news with #YNDC
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Safety program lights the way for Glenwood Avenue
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A stretch of Glenwood Avenue is looking a little brighter these days thanks to a program from the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Program aimed at improving lighting and cutting crime. Back in January, a pedestrian was hit at the intersection along Glenwood across from the Salvation Army and Southern Tavern. It's something the YNDC is trying to shine a light on to avoid any more dark situations. 'It was really, really dark,' said Ebony Billups, an employee of the tavern. 'You could hardly see people crossing the street. It makes a big difference, especially at night.' From High Street to the Youngstown-Boardman border, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation has been installing new exterior lighting on businesses and providing more than 200 doorbell cameras to residents. It's all a part of their Community Safety Program to improve security along the Glenwood Corridor. 'Security lighting and doorbell cameras are actually evidence-based practices for helping to solve evidence-based crime,' said Jack Daugherty, YNDC Neighborhood Stabilization director. 'They also help to give folks in our neighborhoods over the safety in our neighborhoods.' The safety push took on a new urgency in January when a pedestrian was hit near the intersection of Glenwood and Cleveland Street. Local business owners say it's already making a difference. 'It's lit up like Friday night lights,' Billups said. 'You can see really good, and then our cameras and the Salvation Army's Cameras, you can see everybody better.' YNDC says data drives the project. Partnering with YSU, they've looked at crime patterns and lighting gaps, identifying various businesses along Glenwood as a top priority. The project came to light after speaking directly to residents who addressed safety and speed concerns along the busy road. 'The 80th percentile speed, I think, in this portion of Glenwood, last I checked, was like 45 mph. The speed limit is 35,' Daugherty said. 'That means 80% of people traveling on this road are going 10 miles above the speed limit on a typical day.' Over the last year, YNDC has installed lighting at more than two-dozen businesses along the corridor, lighting up Glenwood one block at a time. 'Having that extra light makes people feel safer crossing the street. Safer waiting for the bus. Safer in their businesses. Safer in their neighborhoods,' Daugherty said. YNDC says this program is far from over and it's looking at expanding it to other areas of the city. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Safety program lights up area in Youngstown
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A program in Youngstown that lights up areas of the city to make them more crime-resistant and safer has finished up a project. The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation's Community Safety Program recently installed new lighting on businesses along the Glenwood Corridor. Several large lights have been placed at businesses and areas that were previously shadowed by darkness. You can see the before and after pictures below: The lighting program works with businesses, neighborhoods and community groups to target areas. Also, the program works with households in 'hotspot' areas to install solar security lights, doorbell cameras, and solar street lights across the city. YNDC released its annual report earlier this year, listing all of its completed and upcoming projects, with the Glenwood Avenue Corridor being the focal point of many initiatives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
YNDC showcases new homes for sale in Youngstown
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) and its partners continue to build new, affordable homes in the city and address a critical housing shortage. On Mineral Springs Avenue on Youngstown's South Side, empty lots have been turned into something livable and affordable. It is all thanks to YNDC and the Mahoning County Land Bank through the Welcome Home Ohio program. The state-funded program allows the homes to be sold for 80 percent or less than the average median income. The homes — located at 726, 730, and 738 Mineral Springs Avenue — have been listed for sale. Each home has three bedrooms and two and a half baths and is selling for $180,000. Debora Flora, executive director of the Mahoning County Land Bank, said stability is important. 'Having a place to call home makes not only your job more stable but also the education of children, economic stability — you need a place to call home in order to achieve the other things as well,' she said. Revitalization includes conservation efforts. YNDC is planting new trees and removing dead trees on lots. 'Healthy trees make healthy neighborhoods. They're definitely an important part of our neighborhood infrastructure — providing shade for folks so that they can enjoy the outdoors, helping to reduce our energy costs, keep our homes cool in the summer. They actually can improve mental health and well-being. Even studies have shown that healthy tree-lined streets help reduce crime,' said Jack Daugherty, neighborhood stabilization director for YNDC. YNDC and the Mahoning County Land Bank have 19 more new construction projects pending through next year. For more information on homes listed for sale, visit YNDC's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State-funded program increasing local housing options
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — The City of Youngstown is beginning to see the benefits of the new Welcome Home Ohio program. The program includes funding for the construction and rehabilitation of residential properties, and the Mahoning County Land Bank and Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) are taking full advantage of it. Representatives of both organizations showed WKBN the progress of a renovation that is currently underway at 3551 Shirley Road. The property was among those identified as vacant and tax-delinquent during a citywide survey released in 2023. YNDC was able to purchase the property during a sheriff's sale and received funding through the Welcome Home program to purchase and help renovate it. 'Those dollars were really critical to us being able to push this forward and in a fairly fast timeframe, I would say,' Debora Flora, executive director of the Mahoning County Land Bank. YNDC Executive Director Ian Beniston said the funding allows them to sell the property for an affordable price to a person who will live in the home. As part of the Welcome Home Ohio requirements, the Lank Bank cannot sell the home for more than $180,000, and the property must be sold to an individual who earns not more than 80% of the local median income at the time of sale for 20 years after the date of purchase. Buyers must live in the home for five years or face a penalty. Through the program, buyers will receive homebuyer counseling. Beniston said through YNDC's other partnerships, buyers can also receive downpayment assistance, possibly up to $28,000. 'The idea is not for someone to buy this and then flip it themselves and make it a rental. The idea is that for at least 20 years, this is going to be an affordable homeownership opportunity for a family or multiple families if it's sold,' he said. YNDC and the Land Bank have been working together for some time to eliminate blight, which has created vacant lots across the city. With the available funding, there is now an opportunity to rebuild in those areas. They are working on six rehab homes through Welcome Home Ohio right now, six new builds are wrapping up, and 19 new builds are starting soon. Beniston also discussed progress on a project to build six new homes on Mineral Springs Avenue. The Land Bank acquired the vacant land years ago but there hadn't been an opportunity to rebuild the area until recently. The project included removing the blight and rebuilding the area from the ground up. 'This is kind of a special moment if we look back on the last 20 years of starting to get some more momentum, and something that we've been, I think, looking forward to and building toward for a decade,' Beniston said. Beniston said all of the homes will be listed with a realtor, and there is typically a lot of interest in them. Buyers will need to have a realtor but can contact YNDC with interest in a particular property to be added to a list for notification when it is listed. 'Generally speaking, I think these are the best deals on the market. When you look at it, we're going to be selling brand-new, three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath, newly constructed houses for $180,000. There's nowhere in the five-county region that you're going to be seeing that type of product on the market for that price,' Beniston said. Vacant homes under renovation through Welcome Home Ohio in Youngstown include the following: 3551 Shirley Road 734 W LaClede 870 Canfield Road 3222 Sheridan Road 2502 Stocker 4340 Helena Flora said there are a couple of Welcome Home Ohio-funded projects in the works in other areas as well. Other homes that YNDC is working on include the following: 844 W Indianola 741 Sherwood 734 W LaClede 870 Canfield 3222 Sheridan 3310 Sheridan 2502 Stocker 4340 Helena 3551 Shirley 512 Clearmont 733 Lake 2653 Pearce 2655 Pearce 2657 Pearce 818 Billingsgate On Thursday, YNDC also plans to break ground on phase two of a project to build three new duplexes on Glenwood Avenue. That project is funded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh Affordable Housing Program, Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati Affordable Housing Program, Mahoning County and the Raymond John Wean Foundation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
YNDC releases annual report, highlighting several new housing projects
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation released the annual report highlighting its accomplishments in 2024, including new housing, neighborhood cleanup and health initiatives. Among some of the major accomplishments was the construction of a new neighborhood on Bernard Street on the city's South Side. One of the houses has been completed with a new resident already settled in. They plan to complete construction on two more single-family homes on the street, breaking ground at the beginning of the year. The homes have about 1,500 square feet of living space with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, first-floor laundry, an open-concept kitchen and living area and an attached two-car garage. The Bernard Street houses also come with a newly paved street, sidewalks and improved essential infrastructure. The project was made possible through a collaboration between the City of Youngstown, Councilman Julius Oliver, and the Mahoning County Land Bank. Oliver secured $725,000 in American Rescue Plan money to help fund the project. YNDC also completed the construction of two new duplexes on Glenwood Avenue. Each features two bedrooms, two bathrooms and in-unit laundry. The duplexes also have covered parking. Funding for the project came from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh's Affordable Housing Program and the City of Youngstown's At Home in Youngstown Program. The Glenwood Avenue Corridor is the focal point of several improvement projects. YNDC is working to replace 3,500 linear feet of sidewalk along Glenwood Avenue and expects to be finished by this fall. Last year, YNDC's Grass Cutting and Cleanup Team cleaned up 2,100 linear feet of sidewalks, planted 59 trees, and demolished the property at 3617 Glenwood Avenue. There are also plans to open a health clinic in the former Bottom Dollar grocery store that has been vacant for ten years. The Glenwood Fresh Market is also available to help provide fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income households. In 2024, the market distributed $244,588 of fresh fruits and vegetables, serving 1,792 members. Last year, the market also teamed up with Mercy Health's Stepping Out Fitness program to provide fitness classes and other healthy activities of which 3,680 people participated. Additionally, YNDC broke ground on six new single-family homes on Mineral Springs Avenue. The three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom homes feature open-concept living, kitchen, and dining areas, a first-floor laundry room, a front porch and a two-car detached garage. The houses will be priced at no more than $180,000 with a 15-year tax abatement and down payment assistance. Several neighborhood cleanup projects were completed resulting in the removal of 172 dumped tires, improvements to 403 vacant properties, and over 1.5 miles of overgrown sidewalks were cleaned up. Five vacant houses were also boarded up. The Mahoning Valley TreeCorps, an initiative led by YNDC, planted 641 trees in Youngstown and Warren (533 in Youngstown and 108 in Warren). You can see the full annual report below: YNDC 2024 Annual ReportDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
