FUDGE AND LATOURETTE LEAD BIPARTISAN EFFORT URGING PRESIDENT OBAMA TO ADDRESS VACANT AND ABANDONED HOMES

U.S. Representatives Marcia L. Fudge and Steven LaTourette, joined by 14 other Representatives from Ohio and Michigan, have sent a letter to President Obama urging his administration to support efforts that help communities address the large quantity of abandoned and vacant homes. Action is needed to revitalize communities that were hit the hardest by the foreclosure crisis.  Without market demand for these homes, tens of thousands of properties sit empty and decaying. 

“Our neighborhoods are in desperate need of revitalization. In many cases, vacant and abandoned homes have caused adjacent property values to plummet.  Some have also become dangerous centers of crime and blight, negatively impacting the quality of life for other residents,” said Congresswoman Fudge. Estimates show that in addition to being abandoned and vacant, over 70,000 homes in Ohio are in such a state of disrepair, they require demolition.  However, due to the sheer volume, communities lack the resources to adequately address the crisis.

While federal programs to date, such as the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) have offered some relief, Congresswoman Fudge and the other Members of Congress urge the President to facilitate a strategic and comprehensive federal response to leverage local and private funds to finance demolition projects that preserve property values and stabilize local economies. The letter was sent on January 23rd.

 In addition to Representatives Fudge and LaTourette, the letter was signed by Representatives John Conyers Jr.(Michigan), John Dingell (Michigan), Michael R. Turner (Ohio), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), Dale Kildee (Michigan), Sandy Levin (Michigan), Steve Chabot (Ohio), Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), Hansen Clarke (Michigan), Gary Peters (Michigan), Pat Tiberi (Ohio), Tim Ryan (Ohio), Jim Rennaci (Ohio) and Betty Sutton (Ohio).