November 2, 2012 [Scott Patsko, cleveland.com]
NORTH ROYALTON: Armed with funding from Cuyahoga County, city officials hope to decrease the number of nuisance homes in North Royalton.
Homes left unoccupied and unkempt will be targeted by the city, which was awarded $50,000 in demolition funding from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Delinquent Tax Assessment Collection Fund. Another $50,000 was received from the Ohio Attorney General’s Moving Ohio Forward Program.
“We keep track of the vacant homes in the city and make sure they look like they’re not vacant by cutting the grass if the banks won’t take care of them,” said Mayor Robert Stefanik.
But now the city can take a permanent approach to dealing with certain homes. Following the process of declaring a home a nuisance, and giving the title owner time to respond to the issue, the home would be razed and cleared.
Thomas Jordan, the city’s Director of Community Development, said that while about a dozen homes are eligible for the project, he expects half that many will actually be demolished. The first home is expected to be at 12778 Patricia Drive.
“I’d like to get this first one done and then go back and see how much money we have left, then go from there,” he said.
The Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corporation will be providing technical assistance, making sure the project complies with the Ohio Attorney General’s guidelines.
Any vehicles on the properties would be towed.
“You can drive by some of these homes and it looks like somebody is living in them,” said Stefanik. “Of course, the neighbors do a great job and we really appreciate their help. If they see something that doesn’t look quite right, they give us a call.”