Community Development

Welcome

As the community and economic development representative for the Lorain County Board of Commissioners, Community Development offers programs and services in Economic Development, Fair Housing, Community Development Block Grants, Planning, Zoning, Housing, as well as Stormwater, Sewer, and Watershed Management through the Lorain County Stormwater Management District.

Please use the tabs along the left side of the page to navigate through our various departments to see a snapshot of the services we offer, programs we administer, and to learn more about projects that are ongoing throughout Lorain County.

Our Mission

Our mission is to serve Lorain County residents and businesses through community development initiatives by striving to, improve quality of life, foster smart growth, promote economic vitality, encourage development and redevelopment, and to provide tools to community leaders for management and for making policy decisions.

News

Lorain County Community Development is exploring an important opportunity that could significantly expand funding available for community development projects across the County. We are applying for Urban County status through HUD, which would allow the County to directly administer an enhanced CDBG program while preserving Entitlement status for current jurisdictions. To help explain what this designation means, the timeline involved, and how Political Subdivisions may benefit, we would like to share the following fact sheet: Urban County Fact Sheet

A regular meeting of the Lorain County Planning Commission will be held on Thursday, January 22, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., in Commissioners Meeting Room A, fourth floor of the Lorain County Administration Building.

Tentative Agenda

The Lorain County Commissioners and the Community Development Department has released the RFP to create an application for Urban County status:

Request for Proposal on Creating an Urban County Application