SperlingViews - Warren, Ohio

I live in Warren,Ohio. I have been very disappointed with the conditions and the lack of responds to our community. I have noticed streets and streets of abandoned or boarded up houses which makes our city look like a dump. The crime is up and they decrease the amount of cops so at times they dont even respond when you call.There is alot more that can be said and I would be more than happy to join in and do something about this community. My problem is I dont know where to start. I direct the missions at my church and we are willing to come out and make a difference, if anyone has any info, please email me at gapbuilder7@aol.com thank you so much. Christina[read more...]

I am orginally from this area and left and came back. The same old people who were in the political circuit 20 years ago, are the SAME people who are in it today. But they are NOT doing anything to improve the area. They are only using their political positions for personal gain (i.e., hiring their girlfriends brother when there is a freeze on city hiring because the city is in a financial crisis, we have a councilman trying to buy up the land where the extension of a state bike trail is going in, we have an inspector in the housing and health depts. who fail inspections on houses just to turn around and buy the property themselves, etc.) How many times does a political official have to be involved in a "purchasing scandal", caught hiring their "mother" for a P.I.C. job (the jobs they give economically disadvantaged teen agers), stopped by police for drunk driving, stopped by police in the middle of a drug buy at 3:45 in the morning, or abusing the city's towing service by having their car towed home at night because they're too drunk to drive? Not to mention, domestic violence against their wife that only the police chief is allowed to answer those calls and a city auditor who created a position for himself before he resigned so that he oversees a revolving loan program that should be under the community dev block grant dept. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! The crazy thing about all this is WE the citizens sit back and complain, but do NOTHING about it. And if a resident speaks out or takes a stand, the city tries to "demonize them" and start defaming their character. Most citizens give in to any type of political pressure. I say Warren isn't that big and these officials don't have that much power. There are offices at the state and federal level we can report them to. But no one does. The residents just sit around and complain and do nothing. They don't even remember the offenses they committed while in office long enough to vote them out the next term. OR we have no one who will run against them because of "political deals" that are made behind closed doors. The Democratic party has ruled this area for 200 years and have not accomplished anything. But if you mention another party or reginalization or charter gov't, they act like children because they don't want their little illegal plans disturbed. It's time for change, and not just the type that a presidential candidate is stating. IT'S TIME FOR REAL CHANGE! Warren residents need to start reviewing the process of a charter so the residents can impeach, or do a resend vote if the bums don't do what they're suppose to do in office. We need a stronger political force in this city. People need to mass together and support a candidate and vote these "career politicans" out of office. Our mayor is only looking for a job so he can get his full pension because he's been a "momma's boy" all his life and his mother helped him get his first job at JJC. Since then, he's been nothing but a "political whore" and just made one empty promise after another and has NO vision for improving this area and that has been since he was a councilman, a commissioner and now mayor. So why are we still voting him back into any political office in this area? What's wrong with the democratic process in this area. It works for the rest of the country, why not Warren, Ohio? WAKE UP WARREN![read more...]

Two years ago, a resident of Warren approached the city administration about applying for a Federal Weed & Seed Grant to assist with Community Policing, Crime, Crime Prevention, Intervention and Education. The current administration stated that Warren did not have enough crime to qualify for it because they tried back in 2005 and were denied. The grant is based on crime stats over a three year period. However, this resident did not accept the answer. After checking with the Atty General's office in Cleveland, Ohio, they discovered that Warren did apply, but with drew the application before it could be processed. Since then, this resident has approached Youngstown State Univ. to assist with writing a grant for Warren, just like the grant that exists in Youngstown, Ohio and Sharon, Pa. After looking at the stats, the City of Warren did qualify. At present, the process is underway to write and procure this Federal Weed & Seed Grant which will bring $1 million dollars in resources to high crime areas over a 5 year period. If this resident had not stayed on top of this grant procedure, our city officials would have continued to spread their political lies about Warren not having enough crime to qualify. In truth, the city officials did not want to be designated a Weed & Seed city like Youngstown; a city that they "mock" on a regular basis. All I know is their mayor is thinking outside of the political box and getting things accomplished. One good thing about the grant is that it will levy a variety of resources and assistance and help improve the overall condition of the city in the target areas. After talking with several of the new officers on the police force, a large percentage of the crimes in the city are committed by known offenders with close personal ties to city officials. Many officers have expressed a desire to see our current police chief removed. He has been a national embarassment to our city for years, as well as, some of our veteran officers and dispatchers. The police department needs a complete overhaul and then maybe we can actually start addressing the issue of crimes, drug houses and break ins in the city. There have been an increase in neighborhood block groups because the people of Warren are starting to realize they must "step up" in order to see things improve. We can't wait for the city. Also, the Weed & Seed grant is written to assist in the development of more block groups over a 5 year people. If you want to know what's going on in a neighborhood, ask the people who live there. They always know. I can say the crime in the City of Warren is being addressed, but not by the city officials who run the city and who are suppose to have the city's best interest in mind. Sounds like they only have their own interest in mind. So, please take that into consideration when you're analyzing the condition of Warren, Ohio. It can and it WILL improve. The people are rising up.[read more...]

I have been dealing with the political factor in Warren for the lsst three years. It started with some issues in my neighborhood and have led me to take up a community activist role. From the moment I contacted city hall about the decline of my neighborhood, I was met with excuses. The excuses ranged from: "the current administration is unable to do a good job because of a mayor that was in office 20 years go", to: "the city doesn't have any money to effectively deal with problems, but we do have money for our mayor to hire his girlfriends brother and hire his sister", to: "city council members are the problem because they won't buy the police dept. new cars even though the police dept. has hundreds of thousands of dollars from what FEW drug raids they have done", etc., etc., etc! Excuses, excuses, excuses! After attending many city financial meetings, city council meetings, having discussions with city officials, and arguments with city officials, I have come to the conclusion that the issues that keep Warren from being able to succesfully progress is nepotism, favoritism, corruption and a Democratic party that is so "insecure" in its 200 year presence in the area that any debates or conversations about charter government or regionalization sends them into an unprofessional, emotional, hysterical fit. Unless the people of this commmunity stops drinking the "political kool-aid" we are constantly being given, unless the people of this community stop living in "fear" of a pyschotic, immature police chief and police department who's only accomplishments have been "civil rights violations' and the use of race slurs on the national news, unless the people in this community decide to become part of the solution and become involved with the decision making processess (i.e., running for council, going to council meetings and caucus meetings, challenging the decisions that are made and not backing down when a little political pressure is put on them), unless the community stops accepting the excuses from city hall and city officials and demand that changes are made and no more raises are given out at 11% and 31%, unless we demand that cuts be made in the city before more taxes are imposed upon the residents, unless the people of the community start having a organized, collective voice that cries out for change and justice, this city will continue to stay in the state that it's in and continue to decline. As long as the "powers that be" are being feed and their "boys" and friends and family members continue to get city and county jobs, then the "powers that be" aren't going to care what happens to the rest of the area. WE are the ones who have to stand up, point out the problems and STICK to it and not crumble because a city official becomes "irritated" by the comments made. TOUGH! If these officials can't take the heat, then they need to GET OUT OF OFFICE! And WE THE PEOPLE who voted them in need to send a message to them that's loud and clear and vote them out! WE THE PEOPLE need to remember that these officials are here to serve us and do what's in the best interest of the community and not just their "pockets". STAND UP WARREN OR YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF ONE DAY STANDING ALONE BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS MOVED OUT AND LEFT![read more...]

Warren, OH maybe one of the best places in America to ride out the current recession (Someone please inform President Busch that we are in a recession), with the cost of living evidet by an over abundance of affordable housing stock, however if you intend to move to Warren or the surrouding areas make sure you have procurred employement prior to relocating. Although we have a relatively low cost of living, Northeast Ohio has been bleeding manufacturing jobs. However things are on the up swing, it was just reported in multiple news sources that the percentage of unoccupied manufacturing space in Northeast Ohio is relatively low, this combined with planned developement both private sector and State and Federal makes this an exciting time for the residents of Warren, Oh and the surrouding area. If you are considering relocating to a part of country with an affordable cost of living look really hard at Warren, Oh and the surrounding areas.[read more...]

Warren, Ohio has alot to offer but jobs are not one of them. Northeast area has nice neighborhoods. There are lots of foreclosed homes siting empty that fall prey to crime. We are surrounded with nicer communities and do have good schools. You are not going to rent any decent homes here for under $675. It's cheaper to buy. I live Northwest near Packard Music Hall and enjoy walking around my neighborhood morning or evening.[read more...]

Quality of life can be very good, but the people here are very bitter.[read more...]

I moved to Warren Ohio just over a year ago.The housing costs here seem outrageously low. There are many old houses in Warren sitting empty I think because of population decline. You would not want to randomly choose a neighborhood here to move into. We have had no problem. There are some good neighborhoods in Warren with old fixer-upper houses that I'd love to see restored to there original beauty.[read more...]