Officials' legislation zeroes in on city blight

Foreclosure is a warning sign of vacancy, a councilman said.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Some city council members favor a legislative approach to nip urban blight in the bud.
Councilman Robert L. Dean Jr., D-at large, and Councilman John Homlitas, D-3rd, are sponsoring legislation, introduced Wednesday, which would require those filing foreclosure complaints on properties with buildings on them to notify the city.
"When you see the word 'foreclosure,' you know vacancy is soon to follow," with abandonment then occurring in many cases, Dean said.
Noting that vacant properties "contribute to blight and lowered quality of life," the ordinance says notification would allow the city to monitor the properties and try to address problems before buildings become vacant and abandoned.
The ordinance would require those filing foreclosure complaints in court to notify the city's code official of the filing and provide the official with a copy of the foreclosure complaint within 10 days after it is filed.
If the building on the property to which the foreclosure complaint applies is vacant, the filer of the complaint would have to advise the code official within 10 days of the name and address of the person responsible for maintaining the property while the foreclosure action is pending.
Those notifying the city that they have initiated a foreclosure complaint would pay the city a $60 processing fee under the ordinance.
Because the code officer, Christopher Taneyhill, won't be able to handle the increased workload associated with foreclosure notifications, Councilman Dean said the ordinance will likely be amended to have the foreclosure reports made to the clerk of council. The processing fee may also be amended based on the city's administrative costs, he added.
Rezoning ordinance
Also introduced was an ordinance to rezone about 15.8 acres of vacant, wooded land along the north side of East Market Street abutting Howland Township from residential to commercial. Township and county officials have expressed concern about flooding if the land is developed.
Landowner Martin Finegold said a study showed the land is on the border of a designated floodway and can be developed. Finegold said he plans to sell it for development of a large store.
Council passed an ordinance to enter into an agreement with the Ohio Department of Transportation for a $2 million reconstruction and resurfacing of East Market Street from Main Avenue to the eastern city limits in 2008. Eighty percent of the money for the project would come from the federal government and the remainder from the city.