Since then, millions more has come available through the federal Hardest Hit Fund of the Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP). The county received $4.3 million in NIP money but had to give up $620,839 because the money wasn’t spent by the deadline. The county has recouped about two-thirds of that money according to Land Bank Executive Director Kathy Dudley. The commissioners also approved siphoning a portion of Delinquent Tax and Assessment Collection (DTAC) money so other jurisdictions could get help downing problem properties.
Under the Moving Ohio Forward program, Middletown downed 308 structures and 96 under the federal NIPIt was reimbursed a total of about $2.9 million. Hamilton razed 157 structures under the initial program and 295 under NIP, with total reimbursements of around $4.1 million. Fairfield Twp. was able to demolish 10 eyesores under NIP.
Now the cities are working diligently to repurpose the vacant lots, basically giving smaller plots to qualified neighbors to use and care for, so they aren’t magnets for the homeless and trash dumping, according to Dudley.
“We’re trying to get rid of those as quickly as possible,” Dudley told her board last week. “People want those side lots because some of the best and highest use is to put a fence up and just showing somebody is taking care of that property, so you don’t have people parking on them and stuff like that.”
Lauren Nelson, who handles land bank business for Hamilton, said under their side lot program qualified neighbors who actually occupy homes next to these vacant lots can apply to take them over and pay a $100 application fee to basically cover property transfer costs. She said she will have been able to move about 60 to 80 parcels by the end of the year.
Hamilton Planning Director Liz Hayden said they are also looking for people to buy lots and build homes. The city just put out a request for proposals for 15 lots.
“We are requesting to see if anybody wants to build a new house on it” she said. “The goal would be to increase our homeownership rate in our historic district.”
Ida Hawkins with the city of Middletown said her program has slowed down but is hopeful it will pick up after the first of the year. She said the state and federal funding has allowed the city to work miracles.
“Things look good, we really don’t have anything else to demolish right now,” Hawkins said. “Based off what I’ve looked at, the last five years is pretty much a miracle. It looks really good.”
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