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Fisher’s visit provides hope in blight battle
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MAN WITH A PLAN: James London, president of the Idora Neighborhood Association, shares his concern about the vacant property issues in his neighborhood with a group of state and city officials and community residents during a bus tour conducted by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative. Tuesday’s tour of the Youngstown neighborhoods was the precursor for more than 50 people who were attending the public meeting with Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher.
YOUNGSTOWN — The community involvement in a public meeting with state and local officials left Mayor Jay Williams feeling “exceptionally impressed.”
More than 500 people attended the meeting at Union Baptist Church, Lincoln Avenue, on Tuesday to hear Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher address the issues of vacant property and the rising number of foreclosures in the Mahoning Valley.
“When you see that much community participation, it reaffirms why we do what we do,” Williams said.
“The Valley was well represented,” he said.
The meeting was organized by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative, state and city officials and active community residents.
Fisher was invited to Youngstown after the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds allocated to the city and the Mahoning Valley were deemed insufficient by Williams, the MVOC and other community leaders.
“There was not a single community that felt they got enough,” Fisher said.
Youngstown was allocated $2.7 million and the Mahoning Valley $2.9 million. These funds have not yet been delivered or spent, just allocated, he said.
The recent city-wide vacant property survey results released by the MVOC show that Youngstown has a 36.4 percent vacancy lot rate, which is more than twice the 15.4 percent national average for cities. When you add lots with vacant structures, the percentage increases to 43.7.
Due to these staggering results and the results of similar vacant property initiatives, such as the Vacant Property Initiative and Youngstown 2010, the city, the county and community organizations are working together to assure the appropriate funds are brought to the Valley to remedy blighted areas and neighborhoods.
“There’s no issue more important to Gov. [Ted] Strickland and myself than fighting foreclosure,” Fisher said.
“This isn’t just about restoring a house, helping a family or neighborhood, it’s about restoring hope,” he 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, Fisher said.
When the state receives more funding to allocate for neighborhood rehabilitation, Fisher assured those in attendance that he and Gov. 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.
“The only thing I can think of that’s more important than neighborhood stabilization dollars is that Kelly [Pavlik] wins on Saturday,” Fisher said.
The promises made by the state to bring money to the Valley to help restore neighborhoods and blighted areas should be taken seriously. The state holds Youngstown and its surrounding areas in higher regards than in past times, said Williams.
“[Fisher] made it very clear that this community is being well respected and well represented,” Williams said.
“That’s a result of our citizens,” he said.
Before the meeting, the MVOC and neighborhood block-watch leaders educated more than 50 people, including state officials and concerned citizens, by taking them on a charter bus tour of Youngstown.
The tour was an opportunity to show people the vacant property issues facing each side of town, but also to shed light on the positive projects happening in neighborhoods.
“We’ve worked to save what’s special about Youngstown,” said Patricia Dougan, president of the 7th Ward Citizens Coalition.
“Our neighborhoods are under attack; the only way to stabilize them is with the help of the state,” she said.
James London, president of the Idora Neighborhood Association was also vocal about the progress being made in his neighborhood and echoed the need for state assistance.
“We have a plan here,” said London, noting that other block-watch groups have plans, and with some assistance, those plans would flourish.
“The city of Youngstown still has a lot to offer,” London said.
“We need to build communities so people come to [the Valley].”