Youngstown is quite possibly the worst city in Ohio. It ties neck and neck with Cincinnati, OH. What more can I say about "that" city. I use the word "that" because I moved away two years ago and am reflecting on my experiences when I did live there. First off, I have no regrets on moving away. If you are young, vibrant and have any major goals or aspirations in life..you will need to consider some other place other than Youngstown. Once a thriving city during the age of steel(well before I was born by the way), it is now nothing more than a waste land. The school systems are TERRIBLE and prepare the children for nothing more than utter failure. Parochial schools in the area are no better. Some students quickly realize how far behind, underprepared and outclassed they are when they start to take the proper steps to furthur their education and release themselves from the clutches of "that" city. The roads are horrible and Youngstown's idea of road repairs involve multiple patchwork jobs. Potholes are everywhere throughout the city. The "Northside Pool" may have once been a pothole itself. They filled it with H20 and it attracts the local hoodlums, unruly children and their nonchalant parents. Amongst the blight of Youngstown exists one bright spot....Youngstown State University. I thought YSU was a great school and it prepared me to move on from Youngstown and experience what the rest of the U.S. has to offer.

The attitudes of some of the people in Youngstown are downright sickening and discouraging. Entirely, the place is a VERY discouraging area especially for inner city minorities. It's like a prison with alot of smoke, fire and no lights. You cannot clearly see your way to the exit and not many will help you see it either. The suburbs aren't any better either. From a relative standpoint, maybe they are. If you are living in the suburbs, you are just living next door to the raging flames that are burning that city, just as Rome burned during it's decline. Everyone knows that fire spreads and it IS spreading. Violence is increasing in the suburban areas. Section 8 housing has now spread to ALL suburban areas. The violence in the inner city is just senseless and abundant. The inner city is just one large warzone with unguided, underprivledged youth killing each other over anything that they can think of. I grew up as a minority on the east side of the city, so, I can definately attest to all of this. The urban decay can be likened to that of a minature version of Detroit, MI. Joblessness in all areas, both urban and suburban is widespread. Some might read this and say, "oh, you're exaggerating...this happens in all cities." Indeed it does, but, not to the degree that you see in Youngstown. Youngstown is not a conducive environment to raise a child who will be diciplined and competitive enough to deal with the rest of the U.S. or the world. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but, I am saying that you and your child's life will be VERY difficult. Not to mention, there is nothing there for young people to do which is why many of them resort to finding ways of getting into trouble.

If you are considering moving "there" for ANY reason (job, general relocation, etc.), you may want to strongly reconsider. Sure, you may be unemployed and in need of a job but location is everything. Besides, the only jobs in Youngstown are retail and telemarking. I noticed someone stating that the cost of living and housing is cheap. Well, don't be fooled as there is a valid reason for that. When property values go down and the cost of living is down it usually tells you something about the overall performance of the city. You will find, in Youngstown, that there aren't many "livable wage" jobs and in general..the upkeep of the city is very poor. It's not an attractive looking place by any standard. Property values are going down in the suburbs because low income housing has now infiltrated those areas. There's no need for me to explain why property values are so low in the city. They are so low that most decent housing insurance companies will not insure you if you own a home in the city.

People can have all the hope that they want for the city but it will never be what it once was. That is just an honest perspective. If you live there, GET OUT! If you are thinking of moving there, DON'T! Once you move, move as FAR away from there as possible as the city's vortex of negativity will try to suck you back in. There is a cloud of negativity, a demon if you will, that has a grip on that city that only God and prayer can remove. Until then, don't bother with this city. It is heading down the toilet faster than toilet tissue.

I have been a resident of Youngstown, Ohio for 25 years and I think that it has it's ups and down. I will start with the pros first. Considering Youngstown has a relatively small population you dont have to worry about rush hour traffic. The cost of living here is very inexpensive and believe it or not there are actually nice neighborhoods. The cons include the amount of crime that happens here, but hey there is crime everywhere and you will never get away from it. So the individuals who go on tv and say"i cant believe this happened in my neighborhood" are full of crap. Crime is everywhere. The police department usually takes a while to get to the scene. The potholes are ridiculous, especially market street. But it just goes to show that Youngstown is in need of money because im quite sure these same politicians that you were referring to would do something about it if they could so that their own vehicles wouldnt be torn to pieces. Yes there are a lot of abandoned homes, but that is because triflin people usually tear them up so badly that there isnt a point of repairing them. I dont blame the landlords, I wouldnt put time and money into something that just wasnt worth it. With that being said the community has to make a change. You cant just blame city officials. And it sounds to me that some of you are racist because you know that the police chief and the mayor are african american!!!

Youngstown sucks! Don't ever move your business there. It shows a total lack of regard for your workers to do so. You'll end up with a union and lazy workers that will be hard to get rid of. The free land and tax abatements aren't worth the hell you will go through. The beat-up roads will blow the ball joints out of your vehicles. You'll need a fence with razor wire and 24/7 security guards to keep from getting robbed. Don't ever believe Mayor Jay, he is full of bullshit. The town is dying and never will come back. It is only "good" for people on social security and welfare. The town is full of housing projects and section 8 rental units. There is robberies and shootings every day. Your place will be stripped of copper before you even get it built, and every existing place has already been stripped. Insurance rates are very high in Youngstown.

Youngstown has a local income tax rate of 2.75%!! The only way to attract new industry is for the city to give away free land and generous tax abatements. Nearly all professionals such as doctors, dentists, and lawyers have moved their primary place of business to a location outside of the city. 80% to 90% off all neighborhoods are ghettos that are filled with drugs and thugs. Vicious dogs frequently run loose or are abandoned, and several people including children have been savagedly attacked. There are thousands of abandoned houses and buildings, 99% of which have been stripped of copper and anything else of value. Drive-by shootings occur on a regular basis. The crime and unemployment rates are sky-high. Rental units are not inspected, and slumlords have run roughshod over the city. Poor families are housed in SHACKS that are filled with lead and asbestos. One Section-8 slumlord in particular has a noted tendency to simply "walk away" from his abandoned and destroyed rental units, leaving the city (taxpayers) to foot the bill to demolish them and remediate the properties. Jay Williams the mayor has filled the city's payroll with his "church friends," who do little or no work for $50,000+/year. In an effort to increase the city's tax base, Jay has attempted to force the surrounding townships to form JEDDs with the city to impose the ridiculously high 2.75% local income tax on the workers. He has also threatened to annex the townships outright. The school district is financially insolvent, in academic emergency, and is losing students and staff every year. The roads are in terrible condition, and consist of patches on top of patches. Trash and graffiti are everywhere, and tires are dumped in numerous locations. The south side is the worst side of town, which is just like Detroit. Don't go to the bars on South Ave., for you will be robbed at gunpoint. Recently there has been several sexual assaults, and many sex offenders live on the south side. The city workers are lazy, and I've seen one working while five stand around and do nothing. James Ludt, an honest business owner, tells the truth about how corrupt Youngstown is, and the city repeatedly violates his rights. His building is at Midlothian & Shirley and is a testament to what goes on in Youngstown. They are trying to run him out of town. All building code enforcement is on a "selective prosecution" basis. Certain city officials own property that is in violation of city codes, but nothing is done about it. Residents pay a combined water/sewer/sanitation bill, which is an overinflated rip-off. In the winter, some streets aren't even plowed. All contractors have to be "city licensed," which means you will be ripped-off for any type of work. Whenever the city runs short on money, police are the first to be laid off. They want the residents to live in fear so they will be more amenable to raising the tax rates even higher. The city keeps disseminating propaganda "the city is coming back," but that is pure, unadulterated bullshit. Residents continue to move to the suburbs and out of town. They (the city) seems to believe if you tell a lie long enough that people will believe it. They keep trying to devise highly liberal and illegal plans to try to "force" people to live in their slum city, such as trying to reduce or eliminate development in the suburbs. The suburbs will continue to develop, and anyone smart who can afford it will move to them. If you own a business, don't care about your workers, and want to move to Youngstown, be sure to demand free property and a tax abatement. They will give you both because they are desperate for any type of development. The city even refuses to build a new court/justice center, after the judges sued the city over the deplorable conditions in the existing, dumpy court area. The city needs to build a new jutice center NOW before it gets sued more times.

I totally agree with cncdan, Youngstown is a shithole.

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http://picasaweb.google.com/jimbobtheboss/JamesLudt SBuilding?feat=directlink

It's always greener on the other side......funny how people show the bad sections of Youngstown, well there are good sections to, but you people are so narrow-minded you think everything that happens in Youngstown, only happens in Youngstown, well you people are so sadly mistaken, read the papers, watch the news, duhhh, IT HAPPENS EVERYWHERE! When are you fools going to learn that.....if you don't like it, move! And don't read about Youngstown anymore, it's funny, people comment how bad it is, and like the other reader wrote, do something about it, instead of sitting on your ass and writing comments bi@#4ing about it. Wake up people, Youngstown is just a tiny little grain of sand in this universe!

I have a question. If you dislike what's happening to Youngstown and the people in it why are you still here? Second question. What are you doing to change the situation? Assholes kill me they give reviews on what they don't like but sit on their asses and don't do anything to change it. In my opinion don't just sit there and complain let join together and make a difference. I give Youngstown a "CHANCE". That is my rating.

It's all a matter of toleration . Youngstown is a wide open town that would have made Dodge City during days gone by blush . Crack cocaine is the vehicle that brings huge amounts of tax free cash into the city . Plenty of cheap housing exists that is available for any reasonable offer .