Is Youngstown Really a Food Desert or is There Another Reason People aren't Buying Produce? - WKBN

Now that land contracts are being regulated in Youngstown, the community group ACTION (Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods) is focusing on the city as a food desert.

Youngstown defines "food desert" as an area more than a mile from a grocery store -- but distance may not be the number one reason low-income people aren't buying fruits and vegetables.

The term itself, at least in Youngstown's case, may be misleading. "Food desert" makes it sound like there are no grocery stores available, which is not the case. There are four -- one on each side of the city.

"We believe the primary impediment to that is cost," said Ian Beniston, with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC).

Along with cost, other factors are education, transportation and access.

Rose Carter, with ACTION, said starting in May, there will be pop-up markets around Youngstown, similar to one in June of last year at the B&O Station downtown. To read the full story from WKBN, click here.