Fisher says he’ll work hard to get housing rehab money for the valley
YOUNGSTOWN — More than 500 people attended a public meeting to hear Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher address the issues of vacant property and rising number of foreclosures in the Mahoning Valley at Union Baptist Church, Lincoln Avenue, today.
Fisher was invited to Youngstown after the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds allocated to the city and the Mahoning Valley were deemed insufficient by Mayor Jay Williams, the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative and other community leaders.
“There was not a single community that felt they got enough,” Fisher said.
There is optimism that more community stabilization dollars will be available through the Department of Housing and Urban Development on a competitive basis. The state will “successfully compete” for those funds, he said.
When the state receives more funding to allocate for neighborhood rehabilitation, Fisher assured those in attendance that he and Gov. Ted Strickland will work hard to get the Mahoning Valley what they deserve.
“We will do it because it’s the right thing, but also because you have a community led by great leaders,” Fisher said.
For the complete story read Wednesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com.