Sen. Brown testifies on redevelopment legislation

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown testified today at a U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing in favor of a bill he introduced last year that would provide federal money to redevelop cities, such as Youngstown, with a high concentration of vacant and abandoned houses caused by population declines and job loss.

Vacant housing blight slows neighborhood rejuvenation, reduces surrounding property values, and displaces resources from local firefighters and law enforcement, said Brown, a Democrat from Avon.

More than 30 Ohio cities have seen double-digit percentage decreases in their population since 1970. At the top of that list is Youngstown with a 42-percent loss.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com