Warren faces deadline soon on demolition funds

By Ed Runyan

runyan@vindy.com

WARREN

The Trumbull County land bank has given the city of Warren until May 25 to decide at what level, if any, the city will participate in the county’s demolition program through the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Attorney General Mike DeWine approved Trumbull County to receive $500,000 of the $75 million the state will disburse statewide from funds it will get from a national mortgage settlement.

The settlement was with the country’s five largest mortgage companies over foreclosure abuse, fraud and improper practices.

In addition to the $500,000, which requires no matching money, the county is eligible to receive up to $775,797 more, but those dollars must be matched dollar for dollar, said Sam Lamancusa, Trumbull County treasurer and chairman of the land bank.

So far, 10 Trumbull communities have agreed to contribute $114,250 as match money. Warren, which has the largest number of blighted structures in the county, has not yet decided whether to give.

That sparked a demonstration last week in Warren led community members who urged the city to contribute to the effort.

One of those who attended was Rhonda Williamson Bennett, who said she believes the city should contribute an amount somewhere around $100,000 to the project, but not the entire $661,547 that some have suggested.

Adding the $500,000 that requires no matching money, the $114,250 already pledged and around $100,000 from Warren would allow for the county to spend $1 million to demolish blighted structures.

“A million will help with the blight,” said Williamson Bennett, president of the Southwest Neighborhood Association and co-chairwoman of the city’s federally funded Weed and Seed program.

Williamson-Bennett said Warren “does have” homes needing to be demolished, but not as many as some of Ohio’s larger cities.

Helen Rucker, a Warren councilwoman, said she thinks council members agree that the city should give some money to the project, “but we want to know where the money would come from and how it will affect the [city’s 2012] budget,” she said.

Rucker said council will meet again next Wednesday, so it has time to make a decision before the May 25 deadline.

Enzo Cantalamessa, Warren’s director of service and safety, said the city will be take part in the program, but it’s unknown at what dollar level.

He notes that the state plans to give communities a second opportunity in early 2013 to use the money since some are unable to raise funds in mid-year.

The Trumbull communities pledging match money so far are Brookfield, $10,000; Girard, $25,000; Howland, $10,000; Hubbard Township, $10,000; McDonald, $5,250; Newton Falls, $4,000; Warren Township, $25,000; Weathersfield, $5,000; Hubbard City, $10,000; and Niles, $10,000.