Celebrating 15 Years of Impact

“Every Property Has Promise”

Fifteen years ago, the Mahoning County Land Reutilization Corporation – Mahoning County Land Bank – was established with a clear mission: to acquire vacant, distressed or abandoned properties and restore them through rehabilitation or demolition and greening, creating cleaner, safer neighborhoods in Mahoning County.

As we mark this milestone anniversary, our motto is simple but profound: Every property has promise. What once seemed lost — forgotten lots, blighted houses, contaminated industrial sites — holds the potential for new life. The Land Bank is the hub — the center of the wheel — connecting businesses, nonprofits, individuals, private investors and state and local governments, to see that through.

To mark 15 years of impact and look ahead to the future, the Land Bank has introduced a refreshed logo that highlights its role as a catalyst for economic growth, grounded in our motto that “Every Property Has Promise.”

A brief history.

At its inception in 2011 the Land Bank focused heavily on demolition, lot clearing, greening initiatives and stabilizing properties that threatened neighborhood health and safety. The early years produced hundreds of demolitions, lot assemblages and the beginnings of reuse. Since then, we have evolved. Today we’re focused squarely on new housing construction, renovation, commercial redevelopment and — teaming with economic development partners — building back what was once lost.

How we’re shifting into new gear.

New Construction & Infill Housing

The Land Bank has recently played a significant role in adding more affordable housing options across Mahoning County.

With access to funds from the Ohio Department of Development’s Welcome Home Ohio program, a state-funded initiative to provide more affordable housing, we have partnered with local governments and community partners to build new homes in Struthers, Campbell, Sebring, and Youngstown.

The Land Bank is working with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation to build more than 25 new affordable homes across the city of Youngstown, mostly on lots that were previously vacant, acquired and then held by the Land Bank. These homes are vital to neighborhood stabilization and homeownership opportunities.

The Land Bank joined leaders of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., the City of Youngstown and other community partners for this July 2025 groundbreaking on Upland Avenue on the city’s North Side. The event represented the start of construction on 16 new homes in targeted areas of the city.

Home Rehabilitation & Neighborhood Stabilization

Our work in housing rehabilitation remains strong. Through acquisition and partnerships with owner-occupants or investors, the Land Bank uses our portfolio to put homes back into productive use.

Since 2025, we’ve worked with YNDC on rehabilitating six vacant homes for resale.

The Land Bank’s new Make It Yours (MIY) program will let a qualified owner-occupant buy a Land Bank-owned house at a reduced price. The Land Bank will “seal” the exterior and the buyer takes care of the rest.

The Deed-in-Escrow (DiE) program remains for owner-occupants or investors who want to perform whole-house renovations. The Land Bank offers homes for modest prices, and inspection reports detail everything the houses need to meet local codes. Clients use their own funds and the Land Bank holds ownership and monitors the renovations. Upon completion, the Land Bank transfers ownership.

Clients have successfully completed more than 60 Deed-in-Escrow projects over the years.

This is one of six formerly abandoned homes that the Land Bank worked with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. to restore for another affordable housing option, fueled by a Welcome Home Ohio grant from the Ohio Department of Development.

State-Funded Brownfield Projects & Commercial Redevelopment

The Land Bank has secured nearly $12.7 million from the Ohio Department of Development since the state launched its Brownfield Remediation Program in 2022 to remediate 8 brownfield sites by removing environmental barriers and positioning those sites for redevelopment.

Those included the Land Bank-led work at the former Royal China site in Sebring, the former Phar-Mor office building, the Youngstown Flea building, the South High Field House and the former McGuffey Mall site, all in Youngstown.

By coordinating these efforts, the Land Bank is not simply clearing land — it’s unlocking previously “stuck” sites, enabling commercial investment and larger-scale economic development.

Land Bank Executive Director Debora Flora and Derrick McDowell, founder of the Youngstown Flea, proudly reveal the thousands of panes of new window glass on the Flea’s industrial building, the thrust of a brownfield remediation project, fueled by a grant the Land Bank secured from the Ohio Department of Development.

Acting as the Center of the Wheel

Further distinguishing the Land Bank today is the role it plays as a coordinator and accelerator of progress. We bring together state funding, local government, nonprofit developers, builders, community groups and private investors to make revitalization happen.

We take vacant and forgotten land, acquire it, assemble it, clear titles, remove blight or contamination and then link it to a partner who builds, reuses or re-imagines the site.

The Land Bank’s work lifts home values, encourages residency and supports local businesses by aiding retention, all while serving as the center of the wheel, connecting community partners and state funding.

Thanks to Our Community

To all our partners — local governments, nonprofits, funders, builders, home-buyers and neighbors — thank you for believing that every property has promise. Thank you for showing up, investing, collaborating and committing to what was once unproductive. Because of you, what was vacant is becoming vibrant. What was blighted is becoming beautiful. What was forgotten is becoming foundational.

Here’s to the next 15 years of transformation. Every property has promise. And together, we’ll fulfill it.