Neighborhoods

For about 15 years, Nick Serra and other Rocky Ridge Neighborhood Association members have implemented and led a variety of neighborhood-improvement projects, though he also is joyous that a few outside entities have come calling.

“We’re happy to see people spearheading new development in this neighborhood. The housing stock here is not great,” he said.

Serra, who has lived on South Hazelwood Avenue on the West Side for about 20 years, was referring to the start of a new home — courtesy of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., the Mahoning County Land Bank and other partners — in the beginning stages of being built at nearby 605 S. Belle Vista Ave., which was the site of a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon.

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

Executive Director of YNDC, Ian Beniston, joins WFMJ's Malaynia Spiva on Morning Ready to discuss several groundbreakings on the east, west, and southeast side of the City of Youngstown.

To watch the full segment from WFMJ, click here.

Over the past couple years, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation has built new houses on every side of the city — something that, until recently, would have been unheard of. 

To read the full article from WKBN, click here.

Steven Sabatini is a Grass Cutting and Clean Up Team Member for the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. Steven 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.

Timothy Krohn is the Marketing Assistant for Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation. Under the supervision of the Marketing Coordinator, the Marketing Assistant will assist with the completion of routine photographic documentation and other tasks as assigned.

Contact Tim at tkrohn@yndc.org

Tuesday, July 28, 2026

The Walter E. and Caroline H. Watson Foundation awarded a $15,000 grant to YNDC for neighborhood improvement projects. This work will focus on blocks with new housing development or major renovation projects underway or planned in the near term. Neighborhood improvements will include replacing broken and failing sidewalks, removing dead and dying street trees, planting new street trees, implementing a community safety program, and other targeted improvements. 

Big thanks to the Walter E. and Caroline H. Watson Foundation for their support!

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Enbridge Gas awarded a $10,000 grant to YNDC for neighborhood improvement projects. This work will focus on blocks with new housing development or major renovation projects underway or planned in the near term. Neighborhood improvements will include replacing broken and failing sidewalks, removing dead and dying street trees, planting new street trees, implementing a community safety program, and other targeted improvements.

Many thanks to Enbridge Gas for their support!

Thursday, July 30, 2026

On Thursday, July 30, YNDC, the City of Youngstown and project partners broke ground for 10 new homes in the Seventh Ward.

The groundbreaking was held at 3318 Sheridan Road in the Powerstown Neighborhood. Next door, YNDC is rehabilitating a home at 3310 Sheridan Road. These projects follow the completion of two new homes sold to homeowners in the Seventh Ward earlier this year.

In addition to the new homes, several other improvement projects are happening within the ward. Amber White, seventh ward councilperson, said the ceremony is representative of all the improvement happening in her ward. "I've personally have never seen so much work and investment getting done here. Between the new homes that are being built where blight used to stand and the vacant lots that are getting cleaned up, we're really improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods."

City of Youngstown Mayor Derrick McDowell said investments get investments. "We are a community that has battled back from blight, from hopelessness, and despair to a state of not perfection, but of progress. We are Youngstown. We understand that when we dig, we're going to find some things are going to be left over. It's not going to be perfect, but we know how to work with what we got to make it good."

YNDC is currently developing multiple models of new homes. Each new home will feature at least three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open-concept living, kitchen and dining area, a first-floor laundry room, a front porch, and a two-car garage. The homes will be listed for sale upon completion and will include a 100 percent, fifteen-year property tax abatement on the new construction.

The project is supported by American Rescue Plan funding from the City of Youngstown. The City of Youngstown and the Mahoning County Land Banks assembled the vacant lots.
 

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation is once again using money from the American Rescue Plan to build new houses in Youngstown.

To read the full article from WKBN, click here.

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., the Mahoning County Land Bank, city officials and other partners Thursday celebrated the ongoing renovation of a vacant home on Sheridan Road and the groundbreaking for a new home next door.

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