Coming together for the community

SANDUSKY — Community leaders across Erie County are coming together to begin an important public conversation around the potential formation of a community development corporation, a community-based organization designed to strengthen neighborhoods, expand housing opportunities, support workforce development, and attract long-term investment. The first Cafe-Style Community Development Conversation is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28 at Sandusky Intermediate School, 2020 Hayes Ave. (Ohio 4), Sandusky. Doors open at 4 p.m. This initiative is being convened by United Way of Erie County in partnership with local organizations and community leaders who recognize the need for stronger coordination around housing, workforce stability, neighborhood revitalization and economic opportunity. What is it? A community development corporation is a nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life in a community through strategic development. Across the country, community development corporations are nonprofits focused on improving the quality of life in a community through: • Building affordable and workforce housing • Redeveloping vacant properties • Supporting local businesses • Strengthening neighborhoods • Aligning public and private resources to create lasting, community-driven impact Why here? The conversation around creating a community development corporation in Erie County began when E.J. Brinson, executive director of United Way of Erie County, and Janice Warner, executive director of Community Action Commission of Erie, Huron & Richland Counties, met to discuss the growing barriers families living under a certain threshold often referred to as "ALICE." "ALICE" stands for Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed. These are individuals and families who earn too much to qualify for many traditional assistance programs but still struggle to afford the basic cost of living. That initial conversation quickly expanded into a broader community discussion surrounding housing affordability, workforce retention, neighborhood investment, mental health, disability-accessible housing, transportation and economic mobility. Sue Daugherty, executive director of Serving Our Seniors, said the conversation represents an important step forward for Erie County. "I am grateful that United Way of Erie County has provided the leadership to begin exploring the creation of a community development corporation," Daugherty said. At a locally based affordable housing forum in 2024, sponsored by Serving Our Seniors, "One of the key recommendations for addressing our community's affordable housing challenges was establishing a community development corporation," she added. "Until now, no organization had stepped forward to lead this effort. I'm thankful that United Way has accepted that responsibility and is bringing our community together to build a collaborative path forward." Who's here to help? As those conversations continued, one thing became increasingly clear: Erie County is fortunate to have dedicated organizations already working every day to address these issues. Organizers are grateful for the collaboration and leadership of the Greater Sandusky Partnership, Erie County municipalities, Erie County government, local financial institutions, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, health care providers and many other community stakeholders who have worked together to identify community needs and eliminate barriers facing residents. Through years of collaboration, planning, research and data collection, these partners have helped create a clearer understanding of the challenges impacting Erie County. Without their commitment and willingness to work together, the community would not have the information needed to begin building coordinated, long-term solutions. This effort represents the next step in that collaborative work—not replacing existing efforts but strengthening them through greater alignment and shared vision. What are the challenges? Recent local analysis and community data continue to highlight significant challenges facing Erie County, including: • Limited affordable and workforce housing • Rising housing costs and increasing housing waitlists • Workforce shortages and employee retention challenges • Increased mental health and addiction-related needs • Growing demand for senior, veteran, and disability-supportive housing • Fragmented systems that often operate independently rather than collaboratively • Community leaders believe these issues are interconnected and require a stronger, more coordinated structure to address them effectively. Who's coming? The July 28 event will feature two nationally recognized speakers who will help frame the conversation. Cheryl Stephens, executive director of the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp., will share insights from one of Ohio's most successful community development corporations. The East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp. has developed and managed hundreds of affordable housing units, led neighborhood revitalization efforts and created community-centered programs focused on long-term sustainability and economic growth. Krista Nightengale, executive director of the Better Block Foundation, will discuss how communities can reimagine and activate public spaces through placemaking, tactical urbanism and resident-driven design to create stronger, healthier and more connected neighborhoods. Following the presentations, attendees will participate in a cafe-style community conversation where residents, business leaders, nonprofit organizations, educators, developers, financial institutions, local governments and public officials will have the opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, concerns and vision for what a future Erie County Community Development Corp. could become. In addition to the facilitated discussions, participants will be invited to contribute to a community vision canvas where they can write, draw or illustrate their hopes, priorities and ideas for the future of Erie County. The canvas will serve as a visual representation of the community's collective vision and reinforce that every voice has a place in shaping the future of a potential Erie County Community Development Corp. What to expect? Organizers emphasize that this is not a meeting to present a completed plan. It is a meeting to listen. "United is the way. The best solutions are built when the community has a seat at the table," Brinson said. "This meeting is about listening, hearing directly from the people of Erie County about what they need, what they want and what they believe is missing," Brinson added. "We encourage residents to come because their voice matters, their experience matters and what they share can help shape real, lasting change in our community." Brinson continued: "We also want to recognize and thank every organization, municipality, financial institution, community partner and volunteer that has invested their time, expertise and resources into understanding the challenges facing Erie County. The work of the Greater Sandusky Partnership, our cities and villages, Erie County government, our banking community, nonprofits, educational institutions, health care providers and countless other stakeholders has provided the data and insight that brought us to this moment. No single organization can solve these issues alone. Together we have built the foundation needed to move from identifying barriers to creating meaningful, lasting solutions." Who's involved? Here's a look at the Erie County-based community advisory group so far: • E.J. Brinson — United Way of Erie County executive director • Janice Warner — Community Action Commission of Erie, Huron & Richland Counties executive director • Barbara Clark — Sandusky NAACP president • Sue Daugherty — Serving Our Seniors executive director • Diane Taylor — Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board of Erie County executive director • Allia Carter — BGSU Firelands dean • Luvada Wilson — Sandusky city commissioner Community partners are Sandusky Schools, United Way of Erie County agency partners, Civista Bank, the Greater Sandusky Partnership, the city of Sandusky and Erie County commissioner Steve Shoffner. Want to know more? People can contact the United Way of Erie County by emailing staff@uweriecounty.org or visiting uweriecounty.org. People can register for the event by calling 211 or emailing staff@uweriecounty.org.