November 15, 2012 [Joseph Clark, cleveland.com]
OLMSTED FALLS The city is accepting bids for three unoccupied or “non-productive” properties acquired through the Cuyahoga Land Bank.
Economic Development Director Rosann Jones said that after the county government goes through the process of tax foreclosure on properties, the city in which the parcels are located is given the option to sell the lands itself. While municipalities hold the land for sale, they are charged with maintaining it. Jones said that it made sense for the city to try to make the properties productive and to recover costs paid into them. She also said that the city paid minimal filing costs to acquire the properties.
“If we’re going to have to maintain it, we might as well turn it over,” Jones said.
She said she hoped that new owners would put the land to productive use and start paying property tax.
Currently, the city is not paying taxes on the land.
The properties are located at Bronson Street, Elm Street and on Briarwood Road and Scott Boulevard. Minimum bids range between $8,000 and $25,000, with Briarwood being the most expensive for its zoning status for professional or multi-family use. All three are vacant lots, though the Bronson location used to be the site of a home. The house was abandoned by its occupants, at which point it deteriorated until being declared blighted by the Building Department and finally demolished at the city’s expense.