YWCA seeks tax credit for housing units

YOUNGSTOWN -- The YWCA plans to install 30 low-income housing units in the top floors of its Rayen Avenue building.
But the agency still has a few hurdles to clear before the 4.5 million project is feasible, said its executive director, Constance Shaffer.
The YWCA is seeking a federal tax credit to finance the housing effort. Phase 2 of the application process will require the organization to seek city council support. Local representatives will begin reviewing plans Wednesday.
The tax credit will be awarded in August, Shaffer said. Should Youngstown's YWCA be selected, it will begin a fund-raising campaign to help support the project, said Shaffer.
Serving the housing needs of area women was the original mission of Youngstown's YWCA. The building served as a dormitory for immigrant and rural women who came to the city to fill factory jobs during the industrial revolution, said Shaffer.
The organization currently provides child care, health outreach, financial management and residential services to area women, she said.