Councilman blasting Landbank allocations

YOUNGSTOWN

As the Mahoning County Land Bank works toward beginning demolitions of vacant homes under a $4.26 million Neighborhood Initiative Program grant this year, an East Side community leader is complaining that his side of town is being shortchanged.

“The city’s Northeast Side showed substantial need for demolition, especially when compared to other parts of the city. However, when funds were allocated, the Northeast Side received a pittance in comparison to other areas,” complained Artis Gillam Sr., president of the Northeast Homeowners and Concerned Citizens Association.

The complaint from Gillam, a former 1st Ward city councilman, was contained in a letter he wrote to Daniel R. Yemma, county treasurer and land bank chairman.

In his response, Yemma wrote that, unlike previous federally-funded programs aimed at the most blighted areas of cities, the NIP targets demolition to “tipping point” neighborhoods.

“NIP includes the identification of qualified target areas, where actual data proves demolition will help stabilize neighborhoods adversely affected by questionable mortgage writing practices,” Yemma told Gillam.

People who live in neighborhoods neglected by the program “have the same rights as the people who live in these so-called ‘tipping’ areas,” Gillam said in an interview.

Read more about the dispute in Sunday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.