YOUNGSTOWN YMHA celebrates 70 years

It is the second-oldest public housing authority in the United States.
YOUNGSTOWN -- To the left sat black-and-white photographs of small, simple homes from the 1940s, '50s and '60s. One was of an old public housing complex on Cameron Avenue.
To the right was a finely detailed, full-color, three-dimensional model of Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority's newest project -- the $19.75 million Hope VI project featuring a job-training center, about 200 subsidized homes and a youth golf center at Westlake Terrace.
The old photographs and the new model played an important part in the YMHA's 70th anniversary ceremony Wednesday.
The photographs were a reminder of how far YMHA has come since its early days and how its presence has affected the city.
City officials gathered at YMHA's downtown headquarters to recognize the occasion.
Eugenia C. Atkinson, YMHA executive director, stressed the authority has been an integral part of making life positive for citizens.
"We will continue to promote economic development and social programs to enhance people's lives," Atkinson said.
Section 8 housing
Besides developing the Hope VI project, Atkinson said YMHA is improving Section 8 housing. The changes will help those families, whose rent is subsidized, make more money and eventually buy homes.
YMHA is the second-oldest public housing authority in the United States. It manages five complexes and six senior citizen facilities in greater Youngstown and additional sites scattered around Mahoning County.