The City of Toledo and its partner, the Lucas County Land Bank, were today awarded $9.8 million in grant funds from the State of Ohio’s Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program to fund the demolition of approximately 1,027 blighted residential and commercial buildings and revitalize surrounding neighborhoods in Toledo.
The Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program is part of Governor DeWine's Ohio BUILDS Initiative and was established with the support of the Ohio General Assembly.
The grant requires a 25% match from the City of Toledo of $3.3 million, which has already been appropriated by Toledo City Council using American Rescue Plan Act dollars.
“This investment will help to revitalize our neighborhoods by removing some of the worst and most blighted buildings once and for all,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said. “I want to thank the State of Ohio and the Lucas County Land Bank for partnering with Toledo to tackle this important challenge.”
Most of the buildings which will be demolished are privately owned and have been determined to be public nuisances threatening the health, safety, and welfare of Toledo residents.
"I am grateful to hear that we will be receiving much-needed funding from the State of Ohio. This money will help us take down hundreds of blighted buildings that negatively impact neighborhoods, and give us the opportunity to think about future investments that will enrich communities and the residents of Toledo," Toledo City Councilwoman Tiffany Whitman, Chair of the Neighborhoods & Community Development Committee said.
Once the demolition is complete, the owners of the structure will be charged for the cost of the demolition through their property tax bill. If they fail to pay the costs, they may lose ownership of the land.
“Removing dangerous buildings is a critical step toward rebuilding neighborhoods that have suffered greatly over the last decade,” David Mann, President & CEO of the Lucas County Land Bank said. “With this funding in place, we can turn a thousand more eyesores into opportunities.”
Original source can be found here.
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