The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

County receives house demolition funds

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Van Wert County will be receiving at least $500,000 in federal funds for the newly-formed Van Wert County Land Reutilization Corporation (land bank). The money will be used to demolish abandoned and blighted residential properties.

This derelict North Wayne Street house was demolished in June 2012. (VW independent file photo)
This derelict North Wayne Street house was demolished in June 2012. (VW independent file photo)

The county’s application submitted by the land bank to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency’s Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP) earned enough points to receive a minimum $500,000 allocation. The exact amount received will be announced next week and could be more than $800,000.

“Through the efforts of personnel at many county offices, city employees, and input from villages we were able to establish a county land bank and put together a quality application in a short time period,” said County Interim Economic Development Director Sue Gerker. “Demolishing abandoned and dilapidated homes is key to a successful community development plan for the entire county and we are happy that this grant will enable us to get started.”

The NIP is designed to help stabilize local property values and revitalize neighborhoods through the demolition of vacant and blighted homes. Funding will allow the Van Wert County land bank to demolish an estimated 60 structures in the next three years.

County Commissioner Thad Lichtensteiger especially credited Gerker and fellow Commissioner Todd Wolfrum for their efforts in completing the grant application.

“They spent five or six weeks writing up the proposal on the land bank verbiage,” Lichtensteiger said. “Really just immersed themselves in it.”

The land bank must own a home before it can be demolished. Ownership can be obtained through a variety of ways, including foreclosure, surrender of a deed in lieu of foreclosure, or through donation, according to Gerker.

Van Wert Mayor Jerry Mazur said he was enthusiastic about the grant, noting that the money “is going to be a tremendous asset toward our economic development initiative.”

The mayor thanked the commissioners, county auditor and treasurer’s staff members, and especially Gerker, for getting the grant application together in such short notice.

“They had less than a month to file the application for the grant and I think they did a wonderful job putting it together,” Mayor Mazur said. “I can’t get over it.”

The mayor said the money will be used to demolish dilapidated buildings in the county and the city.

“A minimum of $500,000 is going to do a lot of good to rid the city of some derelict properties and, generally, add to the value of the houses that are remaining,” he noted.

The mayor said the city will do its best to be frugal and use the money wisely to demolish abandoned and derelict buildings.

“We’re anxious to get on board with it and find out how exactly we can capitalize on it,” Mayor Mazur added.

According to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency’s website, a total of $25,000 can be used per property. That includes paying off a loan to purchase a building (up to $5,000), and money to remove asbestos and other hazardous materials, if needed, demolish a structure, and “green” a property.

More information about the land bank can be obtained by calling the county commissioner’s office at 419.238.6159.

POSTED: 10/13/16 at 7:15 am. FILED UNDER: News