Mayor meets with HUD officials in D.C.

YOUNGSTOWN — The No. 2 official in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development met with Mahoning Valley community organizers to discuss the need for federal assistance to address the area’s housing market.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams and members of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative spoke late Thursday to Ron Sims, HUD’s deputy secretary, and about a half-dozen officials from that federal agency.

The meeting, in Washington, D.C., was part of an ongoing effort of nine communities to help secure about $32 million in federal stimulus funds for housing demolitions, rehabilitation and property acquisition efforts in the Mahoning Valley.

There is $1.93 billion available for this program. HUD is expected to decide by late October which communities will receive funding through this program.

The communities involved are: Youngstown, Warren, Niles, Girard, Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville, Newton Falls and McDonald.

The local group invited Sims to visit the Mahoning Valley so he can get a first-hand view of the area.

Sims gave an initial commitment to visit the Valley and Cleveland in the spring.

For the complete story, read Saturday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com