By Nikki Posterli
Chief of Staff, Mayor Jamael Tito Brown
Director, Community Planning & Economic Development
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Efforts by the city of Youngstown to invest in improving core services and economic development initiatives are creating a landscape necessary for the city’s sustainable success.
The year 2024 saw a focus on continued improvements to the downtown corridor as well as key initiatives designed to help business growth citywide.
Economic development strategic plans were launched for the entire city and one focused on downtown. To further the economic impact of Youngstown’s many small businesses, the small business boost grant program distributed more than $500,000. The city’s payroll tax incentive program now supports two companies and anticipates 150 new jobs and more than $11 million in gross payroll.
Our partnership with the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber on the site readiness program is helping to prepare sites for investment opportunities.
Working with Valley Economic Development Partners, the city invested more than $2 million in small businesses through our revolving loan fund and $1 million through our business façade program.
In addition, 717 Credit Union has committed to invest more than $100 million in the city through initiatives ranging from supporting downtown businesses to affordable housing.
One of the biggest successes was the launch of the long planned designated outdoor refreshment area – or Dora – in the downtown district. The Dora, created in partnership with the Economic Action Group, is another step toward reestablishing downtown as the region’s primary destination for entertainment. As evident in the 100-plus cities in Ohio with a Dora, downtown will see significant economic and community benefits.
Two major initiatives to help improve important city corridors will begin in 2025, both made possible through funds from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia. The Spring Commons project will create a family-friendly recreational destination at Spring Commons Park. The Belmont Avenue corridor project will begin the process of creating improvements to help attract investment to the city’s main northern corridor.
Additional priorities include developing new commercial and construction projects throughout the city, redevelopment of the Crab Creek corridor and further investment in improving core infrastructure across the city.
The city’s community development division continued to make affordable housing a focus in 2024, with the hiring of a housing director and by working with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to allocate funds through community development block grants and home investment partnerships programs. Funding helped advance affordable rental homes and implement quality-of-life planning.
In 2025, the division will focus on working with low to moderate income and elderly households on climate resiliency planning, launch the community development advisory committee and host community development week as part of its effort to increase community engagement and partnerships.