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In her online article in The American Prospect Amy Hanauer,  executive director of Policy Matters Ohio, discusses the fiscal issues that have swept through Ohio in recent years, and the toll it has taken on many of its residents. Though the state and many of its communities are teetering on the brink of budget deficits and even greater basic equity deficits, Hanauer names a few bright spots that are working to a better, more equitable way for Ohioans. Named among those was MVOC:

Community organizing is enjoying a modest resurgence with groups like the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative effectively mobilizing citizens to push for equity.

Hanauer goes on to discuss the solutions for Ohioans to work together to prepare the state and its people for upcoming challenges. Read the rest of Hanauer's article here.

Community leaders and officials from around the Valley have expressed their disappointment and shock over the announcement of the second round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program
funding.  U.S. Congressman Tim Ryan (D-17) made the following statement on the matter:
 

“I am stunned by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s
rejection of the Mahoning Valley’s outstanding application for
Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds.  I have already communicated
my disbelief to the White House and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, and I
intend to pursue all avenues available to ensure that the communities
within the 17th District have the resources necessary to carry out
these important revitalization programs.  Mayor Jay Williams and I are
scheduled to meet with the White House next week regarding Youngstown’s
2010 Plan; after today’s announcement, our elimination from the NSP
program will be at the top of our agenda.”

MVOC will also be joining Ryan and Williams in meeting with White House officials next week.

On Monday, November 16th, the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative and several grassroots leaders visited several key lawmakers in Washington D.C. regarding House Bill 932/Senate Bill 453, the Community Regeneration, Sustanability, and Innovation Act of 2009. The  ill, co-sponsored by Representative Tim Ryan (D, OH-17) and  Representative Brian Higgins (D, NY-27) will help older industrial cities like Youngstown and Warren, and dozens of shrinking, post-industrial cities across America, deal with the seemingly insurmountable problems associated with industrial decline, rapid emigration, and long-term disinvestment. The bill currently has 41 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House and has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and co-sponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio For more information, on the bill's progress, the organizing strategy behind it, and other valuable resources, check out www.rebuildingcitiesthatbuiltamerica.com.

MVOC also met with other groups like the Northeast-Midwest Institute and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, to strategize around furthering the bill and, more broadly, around shaping a national dialogue with support for older industrial cities as a priority.

Attached to this blog entry is an http://www.mvorganizing.org/sites/default/files/09_11-11 CRSI Doc SMALL.pdf">info sheet on CRSI.

Rabbi David Saperstein will be speaking at Rodef Shalom, 1119 Elm Street in Youngstown on Thursday, October 8th at 7:30pm. Rabbi Saperstein has been the director and chief legal counsel for Union for Reform,  Judaism's Religious Action Center, for more than 30 years and is widely regarded as one of the foremost voices on matters of human rights, peace and justice.

Flyer Attached

Professor john a. powell spoke to Valley leaders on August 14th at the Willard Elementary School in Warren. The event was put on by the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative and the Trumbull County Interfaith Ministerial Alliance. 

The discussion focused on the concept of "Access to Opportunity:" that the neighborhood one grows up in and the opportunity structures, like high-quality education, a healthy and safe environment, stable housing, sustainable employment and political empowerment largely determine a person's success. In short, "place has a profound impact on health, well-being, and child development." He expands further by analyzing access to opportunity through GIS mapping of regions like the Mahoning Valley, where it becomes clear that opportunity is racialized. 

The solution to structural inequity, he says, lies in reducing fragmentation in our communities and regionalism in our country through organizing for sound, creative policies that work for all people. 

On behalf of those in attendance, we offer our sincerest thanks to Professor powell for spending his day with us and look forward to his next visit to the Valley.

Click here to download Professor powell's full powerpoint.

On March 10, 2009 the Mack Property Group (MPG) was due to enter a written plan for the committe's approval. Upon the failure to submit the plan MPG was violating Addendum 4 and 7 of the Community Agreement.

Addendum 4:     MPG will agree to demolish four of the worst properties within one month's time with the understanding that a financial plan to tear down and rehab all 35 properties will be developed within three month's time.

Addendum 7:      Plans to bring all structures in compliance with city codes will be included in the financial plan to be developed in three month's time.

March 19, 2009 MVOC sent a written notice to MPG explaing the severity of the breach that occurred and a detailed explaination of the Addendums violated.

Due to the lack of responsiveness, the committee attempted to contact MPG to set another meeting for March 24, 2009, since there was no physical evidence for the committee to rate the progress that had been made by MPG thus far. During this meeting the owner of PMG offered a handwritten plan to the committee, which included: four structures had been demolished, three structure had been renovated and two structures are under current renovations.

The committee advised the owner of their displeasure in the fact that he only intends to board up the remaining houses slated for demolition, along with the fact that they would remain in this condition until they were rented, even though they are currently uninhabitable.

The group has developed an updated plan for MPG to include a clean up of all properties now that the weather is nice, meaning: close and board up all windows and doors, pick up and keep picked up all debris, litter, tree limbs, etc., keep grass,etc. cut and trimmed on a regular basis, demolish the remaining 25 houses in the Agreement, 5 each month with at least one on each side of town.

 We are also going to ask again that MPG not purchase any new homes.