Over the last few weeks, The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, also known as YNDC, has broken ground for new homes to be built in three different communities.
Not bad for a group that began just 15 years ago with volunteers simply boarding up vacant homes.

"Just seeing this street and how much it's changed. When there was still 10 vacant houses on this street. Now this street is going to be fully occupied with brand new housing. it's amazing to see the transformation," said Jack Daughtery of YNDC.

Jack is talking about how YNDC broke ground in February on a Mineral Springs Avenue project in the Idora neighborhood.
Today, there's new homes, sidewalks, trees and lighting up and down this street.

"All of these neighborhoods have challenges so we are trying to rebuild the market confidence and stabilize them so they are great places to live for everybody," said YNDC Exec. Director, Ian Beniston.

They've come a long way since 2010 when city leaders and residents were seeing the need to develop neighborhoods filled with blight.
With a little financial help from The Raymond John Wean Foundation and the city YNDC was created. Starting with just volunteers, they now have a staff of about 33 along with dozens of contractors who work for them.

They repair homes, renovate existing homes and build new ones. They've even moved on to renovating commercial properties.

"With our partnership with the landbank and with people of all types understanding how critical housing is whether it's preserving housing with someone already living in it or having affordable housing for the average person to buy and be a homeowner," said Beniston.

In the beginning, they didn't have a lot of funding but in 15 years that's all changed. They get funding from 50 different sources, a lot of it public and private money but now they even make their own funding.

"Our biggest source of revenue is earned revenue. That's what we generate from selling a house or renting a house or commercial property," said Beniston.

They have a board that keeps track of funding and where that funding would be best spent. But, on these larger projects, they listen to community input to decide where to renovate or demolish and build new.
Last year alone, they renovated 350 homes. The plans for the future call for even more. It's simply helping families stay and invest here in the valley.

"I want to see more houses get fixed. more homes for homeowners getting repaired. More trees getting planted to restore our tree-lined streets. More dead trees coming down. More folks getting involved in the work," said Daugherty.

YNDC would also like to develop their current programs beyond the Youngstown area and grow their services regionally.