YOUNGSTOWN, OH - MAHONING VALLEY RIVER

Youngstown thrived in 19th century due to its steel manufacturing. Same as the other major cities in the Rust Belt, the movement of manufacturing to the southeastern states with their lower labor costs and the liberalization of foreign trade policies due to the globalization in mid-20th century, led to the dramatic decline of the population in Youngstown after the closure of plants throughout the 1970s.  60.6% of the Youngstown population decline from the peak, second to Detroit’s 61.4% in the Rust Belt.

Population loss had resulted with vacant spaces in city and increased the rate of crime. Crime rate of Youngstown became much higher than the average of US and Ohio. The population loss around parks and recreation facilities have led to greater vacancy rate around them, where some parks became unmaintained, unsafe and in poor condition. In addition, other parks became “inactive” as described by a study done by Youngstown State University. The study suggested that the city should “Right Size” the amount of parks in the city, and only focus on maintaining parks in denser areas, to result in fewer parks, but with better quality.

In 2005, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation and the City of Youngstown undertook a neighborhood planning process to improve conditions throughout the city. This had led the city of Youngstown to adopt a new plan for the city “Youngstown 2010”. The new redevelopment plan introduced the method of “smart shrinking” which not directed towards population growth but towards a better and smaller city by changes in policies but also changes at physical and spatial characteristic of the city. The main success of the Youngstown 2010 plan is that it spurred people into action. It did kind of awaken to the community to what more needed to be done in neighborhoods. YNDC has developed a record of community engagement and inclusion. However, because of a lack of funds, Youngstown cannot demolish buildings as fast as others become vacant and the population still declines.

Youngstown is not the only shrinking city in the world. Shrinking European cities experienced rapid population loss that created a situation of decline beyond their control, but the reason for Youngstown is different. “The most successful rebirth plans for aging industrial cities come from the bottom up, from community based activism, not from top-down activism where the government takes control.” The bottom in our context should be the economy.