The Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) of Riverside is the City’s designated land reutilization corporation, organized under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1724. As a nonprofit partner to the City of Riverside, the CIC acquires, manages, and repositions underutilized property to support economic development, housing stability, and neighborhood revitalization.
Acting as Riverside’s local land bank tool, the CIC provides the flexibility and authority necessary to acquire tax-delinquent, surplus, vacant, and distressed properties and return them to productive use.
The Riverside CIC is organized pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1724, which authorizes municipalities to create community improvement corporations for economic development and land reutilization purposes.
Under ORC 1724, the CIC may:
This structure allows the CIC to act strategically and efficiently in ways traditional municipal departments cannot.
By combining statutory land reutilization authority with nonprofit flexibility, the CIC is uniquely positioned to assemble land, remove redevelopment barriers, and prepare properties for responsible private investment. This structure allows Riverside to proactively manage growth from within its existing boundaries.
The Riverside CIC operates as a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.
This designation allows the organization to:
As a nonprofit entity, the CIC’s mission is focused on public benefit — strengthening neighborhoods, supporting housing stability, and fostering economic vitality throughout Riverside.
The CIC works in close coordination with:
While the CIC is a separate nonprofit corporation, it operates as a strategic implementation partner aligned with the ONE Riverside Comprehensive Plan.
The CIC exists to provide focused land and property tools that support the City’s long-term economic and community development goals.
The Riverside Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) holds its regular Board Meetings on the 3rd Thursday of each month, at the Riverside City Building, 5200 Springfield Street, Suite 100, Riverside, OH 45431 .
Notices of special meetings and any schedule changes are posted on this website. Public notice is also provided to media outlets upon request, in accordance with Ohio’s Open Meetings Act. The CIC is committed to transparency, public accountability, and compliance with Ohio’s Open Meetings Act and nonprofit governance standards.
Upcoming Meetings:
📧 Contact:
For more information on meetings or to request public notices, contact Phil Downing, Executive Director, at director@cicriversideoh.org.
The Riverside Community Improvement Corporation is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of key City leadership. This structure ensures that the CIC remains directly aligned with municipal priorities while maintaining the flexibility of a nonprofit land reutilization entity.
The Board includes:
This leadership structure provides direct oversight, fiscal accountability, and coordinated implementation of redevelopment initiatives consistent with the ONE Riverside Comprehensive Plan.
Through the active involvement of City leadership, the CIC operates as a strategic implementation partner — ensuring that land acquisition, redevelopment efforts, and property disposition decisions remain focused on Riverside’s long-term economic and community development objectives.
BOARD CHAIR
Mayor
City of Riverside
VICE CHAIR
Community Development Director
City of Riverside
MEMBER
City Manager
City of Riverside
TREASURER
City Finance Director
City of Riverside
SECRETARY
Planning Board Representative
City of Riverside
Phil Downing serves as Executive Director of the Community Improvement Corporation of Riverside.
The Executive Director is responsible for implementing Board policy, coordinating redevelopment initiatives, managing property transactions, overseeing compliance with Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1724 and nonprofit requirements, and supporting strategic alignment with the ONE Riverside Comprehensive Plan.
Management and administrative services for the CIC are provided through a professional services agreement with Downing Community Advisors, a firm with experience supporting community improvement corporations and land reutilization initiatives throughout Ohio. The contract for services is held with the firm, ensuring continuity, institutional accountability, and professional capacity.
📧 Contact:
The best point of contact for the Executive Director is via email at director@cicriversideoh.org.
Board meetings and project meetings are scheduled by appointment only.
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