Mortgage Services Settlement Strong First Step to Rebuilding Ohio Communities

Attorney General Mike DeWine joined 48 other State Attorneys General in announcing a settlement of $25 billion with the nation's five largest mortgage lenders and servicers over foreclosure abuses, fraud and unacceptable mortgage practices, such as  robo-signing.  DeWine estimates $335 million will come to Ohio. Greater Ohio Policy Center applauds the Attorney General’s decision to develop a $75 million matching-grant program for abandoned and vacant property demolition.  This will be a significant tool in the face of Ohio’s estimated 100,000+ blighted and problem properties.

Demolition is a critical first step, but Ohio’s cities, towns and villages must be armed with techniques and strategies that will generate redevelopment opportunities, create healthy properties, and rebuild our neighborhoods.

On April 4th and 5th, Greater Ohio will be holding Ohio Properties Redevelopment Institute: Transforming Problem Properties into Opportunity,  This two-day interactive workshop will offer hands-on techniques and strategies for addressing vacant and abandoned property development challenges and generating redevelopment opportunities.

Featuring local practitioners, financial institutions, and state and national redevelopment experts, the sessions will include the following. (The full agenda is here.)

  • property acquisition tools
  • land banks
  • neighborhood stabilization tactics
  • revitalization strategies
  • property information systems 
  • urban redevelopment successes

This Institute will also seek input from workshop participants into policy reforms that will align policies with local community development needs, and arm local leaders with new tools for redevelopment.

With Ohio’s cities and towns at a crisis point, the Institute’s goals—training and education, coalition-building and policy advancement—are vital to productively reshape Ohio’s communities.

This Institute is part of larger multi-year Initiative Greater Ohio is leading—Healthy Properties, Rebuilding Communities—that is designed to combat vacant and abandoned properties and foster community redevelopment.

For more information on the Healthy Properties Initiative or to register for the Ohio Properties Redevelopment Institute, please visit our website.