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For more information contact:
Cleveland City Council
Katherine Samsa, Communications Director
(216) 857-7362 |
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| Council to pass resolutions in support of Federal legislation to combat foreclosure crisis |
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In Cleveland City Council’s effort to Break the Cycle of Abandonment, Council Members have sponsored legislation urging the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to support the passage of two bills currently being discussed that can help combat the foreclosure and resulting vacant and abandoned housing epidemic. The two resolutions are expected to pass at tonight’s Cleveland City Council meeting.
Council Members are urging the House of Representatives to support the passage of the Neighborhood Reclamation and Revitalization Program Act of 2007. This bill will authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to assist cities with a vacant housing problem. Council has also suggested that the appropriations for this program should be increased from $100 million to at least $500 million.
Vacant and abandoned properties are a massive problem in the City of Cleveland, degrading the overall quality of life in the City. These properties are often a breeding ground for crime and fires, which produces a substantial cost to taxpayers, as does maintenance. Additionally, these properties bring down surrounding property values and harm the quality of life for residents.
“Cleveland has the highest rates of vacant and abandoned properties in the country,” said Councilman Anthony Brancatelli, Ward 12. “We hope that the passage of this bill will assist the City in managing the foreclosure epidemic that results in the presence of vacant and abandoned structures and help improve the quality of life throughout our neighborhoods.”
Council is also urging the U.S. Senate to support the passage of the “Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy Act of 2007”. This bill will allow homeowners to modify their mortgages in bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure.
The epidemic of vacant and abandoned properties is partly due to lax regulation of mortgage lending and the predatory actions of certain lenders. Over 2.2 million families are in danger of losing their homes due to the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market. Council believes that the fight against vacant and abandoned properties must begin with assisting homeowners with additional opportunities to negotiate and modify their mortgages.
Cleveland City Council is committed to working toward a solution that addresses detection, prevention, maintenance, blight elimination and redevelopment of vacant and abandoned properties. Council Members have focused their efforts on the presence of vacant and abandoned properties in the City of Cleveland and the fight against foreclosure in an effort to improve the quality of life for Cleveland residents. It is the goals of Council to reduce the negative impacts of these properties, such as decreased safety, lower property values and the overall decay of neighborhoods.
“Council is dedicated to improving the quality of life by working to diminish negative social and economic impacts of foreclosed properties in our City,” said Councilman Jay Westbrook, Ward 18. “We need to take back control of our City from predatory lenders and redevelop our neighborhoods.”
Cleveland City Council has been working collaboratively with several outside partners, including the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and Cleveland’s non-profit community. Council is now moving toward working with the state and federal government for a brighter future for the City of Cleveland, its residents and the entire region. |
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Cleveland City Council
601 Lakeside Avenue
Room 220
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 664-2840
(216) 664-3837 fax
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