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Officials lament loss of demolition funds
By Jeanne Starmack
Struthers and Campbell would like to proceed with nuisance- property demolitions but are hampered by the loss of federal funds and asbestos-removal rules.
At issue is the loss of Neighborhood Stabilization Funds, which were federal funds allocated by Mahoning County, and asbestos rules the county became aware of in November that raised the cost of demolition between $2,000 and $5,000 a house, say government leaders in both communities.
They met with the county commissioners several weeks ago to see if it is possible to get the NSF money that was taken off them; because it wasn’t committed for demolitions by a September deadline, the county gave it to Youngstown rather than return it to the federal government.
But they can’t get the money back, they said — Struthers Mayor Terry Stocker said Struthers gave up $100,000 of $500,000 originally awarded.
Campbell Mayor Bill VanSuch and city administrator Jack Dill were unsure how much money was taken off Campbell. It originally was awarded more than $900,000.
Anna DeAscentis, who administers the NSF program for the county commissioners, could not be reached to comment.
Stocker said the county solicited bids for demolitions after the communities submitted lists of properties when the program began in 2008.
Struthers submitted 50 properties. Sixteen properties are under contract now in the city, with NSF money allocated for them.
But the county didn’t follow through with the demolitions after becoming aware of the stricter asbestos rules in November, said Stocker and city safety director Ed Wildes.
Dill said the county mistakenly thought the federal Environmental Protection Agency had loosened asbestos rules. He said the county was notified that was not so.
The stricter rules require an inspection at each building slated for demolition, Stocker explained. If asbestos is found, it has to be removed, he said.
“Under the old rule, [contractors] could take [a building] down and take the rubble to an approved landfill,” he said.
Though Campbell and Struthers will not be able to recover the money that was given to Youngstown, they would like to continue with demolitions.
In each community, $100,000 of the NSF money was to be set aside for Habitat for Humanity projects. Campbell and Struthers have asked the county if they can use the Habitat money instead toward demolitions because of the higher costs associated now with asbestos removal.
Struthers still has half of its Habitat money.
Dill said there is NSF money already designated for 36 more nuisance properties in Campbell out of 169 originally submitted.
He would like the county to press ahead with asbestos inspections. Campbell still has all of its Habitat money, he said.
Government leaders in both cities say they don’t believe they should have lost their NSF money because of circumstances beyond their control.
“There’s no way we should be deprived,” Dill said. “If it was allocated to Campbell, it should stay in Campbell.”
He also said the county should have had more people assigned to the NSF program.
“Why should we lose grant money because it’s not being administered?” he said.