YOUNGSTOWN — By this time next year, the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. will have built 46 new affordable homes in the city since 2023.

“The goal is to bring quality housing options to the city,” said Ian Beniston, YNDC’s executive director. “We are working to bring home ownership to the city. Another goal we’re achieving is filling in vacant lots. All of these houses are on vacant lots. This contributes to neighborhood stabilization. Almost all of these sites had buildings on them years ago. They were blighted properties.”

The YNDC is breaking ground Tuesday on 16 new single-family homes in multiple locations throughout the city.

The houses will include multiple design models: Cape Cods, two-story models and ranches. All homes will have at least three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open-concept living room, kitchen and dining area with first-floor laundry, a front porch and a two-car garage.

The houses will be listed for sale for no more than $180,000 and will include a 100%, 15-year property tax abatement. Also, eligible homebuyers can receive up to $10,000 for down payments and closing costs as part of the city’s At Home in Youngstown program, funded through an American Rescue Plan allocation and additional downpayment assistance of up to $18,000 to eligible homebuyers through a partnership with Huntington Bank.

The homes will be built on Glen Oaks Drive, South Meridian Road, three on Bonnie Brae Avenue, Mineral Springs Avenue, two on Wilkinson Avenue, Beachwood Drive, North Schenley Avenue, Wesley Avenue, two on Aberdeen Avenue, Outlook Avenue, Upland Avenue and Granada Avenue.

The Mahoning County Land Bank received a $5 million state grant towards the construction of the 16 new houses, as well as one each in Struthers, Campbell and Sebring.

The land bank also received a $2.4 million grant in 2024 for six houses on Mineral Springs Avenue in Youngstown from the same state program — the Ohio Department of Development’s Welcome Home Ohio.

The land bank signed contracts with YNDC to be the general contractor on the projects. Joe Koch Construction is the project’s builder.

The YNDC finished building houses on Bernard Street and is in phase two of that work. It also built six other houses on Mineral Springs Avenue. Work is underway on Glenwood Avenue, near duplexes already built there. The YNDC will also break ground on three houses on Maranatha Drive shortly.

The YNDC has also renovated several hundred homes in the city.