Benno Martens (ben-oh mar-tins)

I’ve spent the past 13+ years working as a planner in the community development field. My experience has come at the neighborhood, municipal, county, and statewide levels.

I also write about community building, planning, and development in my newsletter, Rust Belt Future, and on Medium. Previously published writing on these topics has appeared at CityLab, Belt Magazine, and in The Cleveland Neighborhood Guidebook.

I have a Master of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University, and currently work for a nonprofit community action organization that helps small towns and rural communities throughout the Great Lakes region to improve their infrastructure, facilities, and other public assets. My role allows me to help effect positive change in the lives of residents and the community as a whole, which is a core value of my life.

For more information on my professional pursuits, you can find me on LinkedIn.

When I’m not working or writing, I can usually be found watching Cleveland or Ohio State sports, golfing, riding my bike, reading a book, or hanging out with my 4-year old nephew.