POWER OF ATTORNEY



KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned director and/or officer of
United Community Financial Corp. (the "Holding Company") and /or the Home
Savings and Loan Company of Youngstown, Ohio (the "Company"), hereby constitutes
and appoints Douglas M. McKay and/or Patrick A. Kelly as his true and lawful
attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power and substitution and
resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all
capacities, to sign any and all Securities and Exchange Commission Forms 3, 4
and 5 with respect to the securities of the Holding Company beneficially owned
by the undersigned, any and all amendments thereto, and to file the same, and
other documents relating thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
and grants unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents and substitute or substitutes
full power and authority to do each and every act and thing requested and
necessary to be done in and about the premises as fully to all intents and
purposes as he might do in person, and hereby ratifies and confirms all things
that each of said attorneys-in-fact and substitutes may lawfully do and seek to
be done by virtue hereof.

THIS POWER OF ATTORNEY shall be valid until such time as it is revoked by the
undersigned in writing.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand as of this 18th
day of March, 2004.


                                              /s/Robert J. Steele, Jr.
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                       Robert J. Steele, Jr., Vice President of
                                              The Home Savings and Loan Company
                                                            of Youngstown, Ohio
WITNESS:

/s/ Darlene Pavlock
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Darlene Pavlock