SitemapThe Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. isn’t even 5 years old and already has received state acknowledgment for its efforts in revitalizing the city.
“We have been able to evolve and grow and build a broad set of partnerships,” said Ian Beniston, executive director of the YNDC.
On Friday, the YNDC was named the community development corporation of the year by the Ohio Community Development Corporation Association. Five CDCs were nominated for this award. The Ohio CDC Association has 150 CDC members.
The award was announced at the association’s 2014 Member Awards during its 30th annual conference at Crowne Plaza in Dayton, where 250 community development leaders from throughout Ohio participated in the celebration.
Efforts by the YNDC to restore Idora and other Youngstown neighborhoods were recognized by the CDC. Noted were the strategies used to improve neighborhood safety, increase community pride and organize reinvestment in areas experiencing a sharp decline.
YNDC will have more than 25 homes rehabilitated in 2014, which is as many as the corporation completed from 2010 to 2013.
Also, within this past year, the YNDC increased the use of its community loan fund and provided 19 mortgages to low- to moderate-income households.
Additionally, the YNDC became certified this year as a housing counseling agency and received a comprehensive housing grant.
“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.”
Starting in November 2013, the YNDC started to provide professional neighborhood planning services for Youngstown.
“The city put significant trust in us,” Beniston said.
Also this year, the YNDC became an AmeriCorps VISTA project site with nine members and an AmeriCorps State project site with 10 members. YNDC also has two AmeriCorps VISTA summer associates and hosts an AmeriCorps NCCC Team.
Beniston said the award is just a great acknowledgment of what the YNDC team of about 40 people does.
“We have expanded our partnerships. We have engaged our neighborhood groups and assembled neighborhood action teams,” he said. “We hope to continue to push ourselves to a high level.”
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