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City gets $2.7M for property rehabilitation
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Charlie Wilson
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Avon)
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Congressman Tim Ryan
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Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams
By KATIE SEMINARA
Ohio is distributing $250 million for 23 areas.
YOUNGSTOWN — Many vacant properties in the area should prepare for a date with a wrecking ball courtesy of funds generated to battle the housing crisis.
Ohio has received more than $250 million that will be dispersed to 23 areas in the state for demolition and rehabilitation in regard to rising foreclosures and declining property values.
Of that amount, Youngstown has been awarded more than $2.7 million and that money will assist the city and surrounding neighborhoods.
“We will use it [money] for a variety of issues and demolition will certainly be part of it,” said Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams.
The offices of U.S. Sens. George Voinovich, R, and Sherrod Brown, D, and announced that the money is designated for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
NSP is through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Block Grant Program and the Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
The offices of Congressmen Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, and Charlie Wilson of St. Clairsville, D-6th, said 25 percent of the money can be used to purchase and redevelop abandoned and foreclosed homes that will be used to house families whose incomes do not exceed 50% of area median income.
“This money will provide our struggling cities with the opportunity to demolish abandoned properties and take possession of homes that can be rehabilitated, Ryan said. “We need to take care of our neighborhoods and keep our cities moving forward.”
In 2006 and 2007, Youngstown demolished about 1,100 properties. This year that number was reduced to about 200 to 300 because of the national financial crisis, said Williams.
“This money will allow us to be much more aggressive,” Williams said.
The money will also facilitate rehabilitation of appropriate properties, may assist nonprofit organizations that help with foreclosure issues and help hold landlords accountable for the condition of their properties, he added.
HUD is still in the process of nailing down the details and will hold conferences to clarify how the funds can be spent, Williams said.