Corner Store Analysis

[Youngstownshrimp]

Let's face it, the days of ACORN type community organizing have passed.  Across the nation they have been exposed for what they really are, the amassing of a socialist voting block.  A voting block that is usurping the principals of free enterprise.   Americans are tired of the entitled, we don't want another landbank, we want the seeds to grow something on our land, to produce something that we can sell and in return better ourselves and the community.  If all the vacant land in Youngstown produced something, there would be taxes flowing.  This is why the founding fathers set property taxes as a liability of the property not the individual.  Community must lift up the value of it's property for it to provide a return.  Ninety percent of vacant land in the YTown are non-taxpaying, because we failed to make it pay for itself.   For that matter, the largest non taxpaying landholding entity in this City is the City.  And not to besmirch anyone, even Mt. Calvary owns tax delinquent property , this does not mean thay are bad people.
No entity can afford to pay taxes on unproductive land.

If the MVOC is convinced that they can make land productive again with a new landbank, I will offer them 20 vacant lots right now for their urban agriculture project.  And if they need more, I am sure most of the other struggling land owners in the City will add more.  It's easy to talk about it when you have a salary whether you grow things or not.

[DefendYoungstown]

I might also add that part of the process actually included knocking on the doors of every resident of the neighborhood and asking them what THEY felt were the issues in the neighborhood...to which they identified the corner stores as being a priority issue. After this analysis, the corner stores were approached and asked to work with the neighborhood group to clean up their properties. Some did and continue to work with the neighborhood group and have even made finical contributions to group for cleanups, block parties, projects, etc. Some didn't to include Party Pantry. Research was then conducted regarding health code violations, police calls for service (over 100) total sales (which included over 90% alcohol). It was clearly obvious that the corner store was not assest to the neighborhood nor were they going to work with residents to improve their conditions. Accordingly, citizens organized and passed a dry precinct ballot vote by nearly 80%...that's 8-0 percent which closes their doors (because they were primarily selling only alcohol). The area is now being considered to potential expansion of adjacent York Machine which is one of the finest businesses in Youngstown. Additionally, over 1.5 million has been raised to assist with homeownership downpayment grants, vacant lot improvement project, urban agriculture project, and expansion of Mill Creek Park into neighborhood. Those efforts were just recognized this morning by the Dominion Foundation with it's Northeast Ohio Community Impact awards.

And that is what organizers (at least this one) do: help residents organize their neighborhoods, prioritize issues, deal with those issues, plan projects & events, bring other leadership together to work on and/or solve common problems.

They also conduct extensive research into individuals who own tens of thousands (and counting per continued research) of dollars in unpaid taxes but continue to ask for city services to assist with or promote endeavors or events that serve to support their own private interests.

[iwasthere]

it wasn't mvoc that did the rallying cry it was the idora park neighbors that wanted their area to go dry due to store owners unethical practices of selling adult items to minors. mvoc was asked to assist in process of voting that area dry.

[Youngstownshrimp]

Well said, unfortunately what I know happened in the IDORA  area was that there were no convictions against the store, and yet the ACORN look alike MVOC, rallied the locals to vote their liquor license down.  This approach like the anti real estate investor mindset will only result in non-investment in these same areas.

[atek101]

It is first important to get information about what is going on in these stores,  what they sell, whether or not it is fresh or expired, whether or not they are up to building and health codes, etc.

Store owners are absolutely responsible for the activities that they permit to occur on their property. They are also responsible for keeping the standards of their products up to health codes and the condition of their markets up to building codes. If they fail to do so, then they deserve to be punished and sanctioned. However, if store owners who are not up to code desire to reform their practices, I think they should be given the opportunity to do so, under strict watch of both the city and local neighborhood associations.

People in the Wick Park Neighborhood and other areas of the city deserve clean, friendly environments to buy quality goods and services, even if those services are alcohol and junk food. Proprietors of stores that are dilapidated, selling expired products, and/or allowing criminal activity to take place on the property should be held accountable for these wrongs. However, in the interests of improving these markets rather than shutting them down, I think the city/neighborhood groups should provide both pressure on these markets to improve their conditions and incentives to help them improve.

[northside lurker]

If I move into this neighborhood, it will be because the new CVS has made basic necessities available.  It's very unlikely that I would shop at the Red and White on Elm, unless they clean up their act.  So, I guess I'd be speaking with my wallet.  But, IMO, they could improve their store without spending lots of money for a complete remodel; become an asset to the neighborhood instead of being an obstacle to the neighborhood's revitalization.

[AllanY2525]

The proprietors of the corner stores cannot be blamed for the conduct of
those who frequent their establishments.  As long as they [proprietors] and
those in their employ are not doing anything illegal themselves, or actively
encouraging criminal behaviour(s) on the part of others then they really
have no liability issues.

If a store patron is engaged in illegal conduct while on the premises, then
the proprietors should call the police.

Proprietors of the corner stores have the right to pick and choose what
they sell [within the law, of course] in their stores, whether it includes
"nutritious foods", alcohol, cigarettes, "junk food",  etc - it's a free
market.

A survey will help to identify locations where there is a consistent pattern of
crime, loitering, disturbances, etc - but ultimately it is up to the police
department to address these issues, not the proprietor(s).

If the people in the neighborhoods where these stores are located have
issues with the store itself, they can always call the police themselves
and talk to their ward representative.  They also have the power to
speak with their wallets - by boycotting these stores.

[Youngstownshrimp]

I just hope it doesn't turn out to be some type of frenzied vigilante type approach to divert the entitled block to scapegoat on free enterprize.  See, the ACORN type block can sway the entitled to shut down small business and label the selling of alcohol as the instrument and responsibility of crime.

And they can ratchet up the outdated ignorant mindset that real estate investors are all evil and are responsible for all the blight in YTown.

[Towntalk]

Just how far will the survey cover? (North - South - East - West) of Wick Park?
There aren't that many corner grocery stores in that area.

[jay]

MVOC will be assisting in a survey of local stores in the Wick Park area and the north side.  Do these stores sell nutritious foods or mainly alcohol and junk food?  What is going on at these stores?  Have some of them become magnets for those who engage in criminal activity?