Press Coverage

Some local leaders would like to see the city adopt more aggressive ordinances to help combat the problem of out-of-town property owners.

Youngstown currently has the power to use tax foreclosure to take control of delinquent properties, as well as spot blight – a form of eminent domain.

While the city has implemented programs to deal with out-of-state ownership, critics point out enforcement has been impacted by a lack of resources.

Land contracts are one of the ways that out-of-state investors profit from purchasing – and neglecting – Youngstown homes, local officials say.

Karen Humphries lives on Halls Heights Avenue on the Youngstown’s West Side, and she’s witnessed firsthand the damage out-of-state investors can do to a neighborhood.

A surge in public art in recent years has been painting the Mahoning Valley increasingly vibrant. With broad strokes and great flourish, paintings, murals, statues and other outdoor artworks have been brightening our visual environs.