NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio — While Lorain County leaders say an “urban” designation would unlock more federal funds, some residents are raising concerns over the process and implications.
This week, the Board of Commissioners submitted an application for the urban designation to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If HUD approves, seven local communities agreed to opt into the program, including Avon, Avon Lake, Sheffield Lake, Sheffield Village, Berlin, Kipton and North Ridgeville.
North Ridgeville’s participation remains in question as a citizen group works to place a referendum on the November ballot.
AN URBAN DESIGNATION
The urban designation is a legal definition under HUD’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. To qualify, a county’s population must be higher than 200,000 people, excluding metropolitan areas like Elyria and Lorain.
According to the HUD website, a county may also qualify if the participating communities contain the majority of low- and moderate-income residents in the county.
The CDBG program provides annual grants for local projects that support low- and moderate-income individuals, including infrastructure and housing improvements, job creation initiatives and programs for seniors, like Meals on Wheels.
Lorain County leaders have said an urban designation would allow for substantially more federal funding and greater local control over the money.
CURRENT PROCEDURE VS. NEW DESIGNATION
Lorain County communities already receive CDBG funding, but funding flows through the state.
North Ridgeville Mayor Kevin Corcoran said that Wards 1 and 2 are eligible for funding, and the city has been receiving funds since 2016. In recent years, he said it’s helped pay for ADA improvements to the Senior Center, as well as paving on Carolyn Street, Luanne Drive and Monica Drive. This year, $150,000 through the program was used to replace a waterline on Behm Drive.
The current program features two-year funding cycles and limits the total number of projects that can be approved.
Under an urban designation, Corcoran said the city could propose more projects annually.
County leaders have said it could also unlock millions of dollars more in annual funding. The money would come directly to the county, where the Board of Commissioners would act as program administrators.
THE PUSHBACK
Some communities have raised concerns over the county’s transparency during the application process, with some questioning the true purpose of the transition.
Ahead of a July deadline, several township and village leaders hand-delivered notices to downtown Elyria, informing the county commissioners that their communities were opting out.
RELATED: Lorain County townships push back against 'urban county' designation
"We needed to have better information from the very beginning of this. Last-minute stuff never flies well, and our residents have said, ‘No.’ What we do know does not give us that level of comfort to allow us to support it,” LaGrange Township Trustee Rita Canfield said at the time.
The debate comes as rural communities grapple with development. News 5 has previously covered controversy surrounding a so-called “mega site” in New Russia Township, and concerns over a possible data center in Brownhelm Township.
Some township trustees said those situations have been eroding trust with county leaders.
In July, County Commissioner Dave Moore told News 5 he believed the word “urban” was contributing to a misunderstanding.
“It should’ve said ‘enhancement,’ because had it said enhancement of our current program, which we have, we wouldn’t have had this pushback,” he said.
At the time, Moore said the county did not have the support of 200,000 residents to qualify for the urban designation. He believed the controversy was politically motivated.
“This is hurting people. This is hurting the poor, low-income people, all in the benefit for political gain,” Moore said in July.
This week, he said it has enough support within communities with higher populations of low- and moderate-income individuals to qualify. On Tuesday, he said the county applied for a lower tier of funding.
A REFERENDUM
Earlier this month, the North Ridgeville City Council voted to opt into the program, despite vocal opposition at several city meetings.
“I thought what our legislators did was not in the best interest, even though they say it is,” said Robert Baumgardner.
Following what he believes was an unpopular vote, the North Ridgeville resident began circulating a petition to reverse the decision. If Baumgardner and his partners in the citizen-led group collect enough signatures, North Ridgeville voters will see a referendum on the November ballot.
“It’s important that those that didn’t want this to go through are able to say, ‘Council, we don’t like what you did here,’” he said.
The group has been collecting signatures at local parks and events. Some signees told News 5 they worried an urban designation would lead to irresponsible growth.
“We’ve got to stop what we can before it gets out of control,” said resident Del Robinson.
Baumgardner said the process did not adequately include resident feedback and he had many lingering questions.
“My biggest concern was the transparency issue,” he said. “What’s been happening? Who’s going to get the funds? How much funds is going to go where? Who decides who gets what funds?”
WHAT’S NEXT
The North Ridgeville group has until early September to collect enough signatures to place the referendum on the November ballot.
Moore said he believes HUD will determine whether to grant the urban county designation in the coming weeks. Following that determination, he said the participating communities would create rules for the program over the next five years.
Moore also said communities that opted out of the program will not be eligible to receive CDBG funding.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
