Youngstown Region Collaborates on NSP2: Taking a Multi-jurisdictional Approach to Recovery Priorities

The NSP2 opportunity in ARRA motivated nine cities of the greater Youngstown area to submit one joint
$32.4 million application to address the region’s challenges with foreclosures and vacant and abandoned
properties. To stabilize and revitalize targeted neighborhood and produce long-running community and
economic benefits, the shared plan proposes to enlist a cross-sector of different organizations to support a
range of solutions, including regional land banking, targeted demolition/deconstruction, acquisition and
rehab of single family homes, redevelopment of vacant land, and affordable financing for homebuyers.

The joint application submitted by Youngstown
and eight neighboring cities for the second round
of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program
(NSP2) funded through the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) represents an
unprecedented level of multi-jurisdictional
collaboration for this region. While the nine
cities—Lowellville, Struthers, Campbell,
Youngtown, Girard, McDonald, Niles, Warren,
and Newton Falls—had formed the Mahoning
River Corridor Mayor’s Association in 2007 to
share ideas, the new initiative is the first time
that these jurisdictions have taken action in
concert to pursue common goals for urban
revitalization and redevelopment.