Yesterday, Lavea Brachman, Co-Director of Greater Ohio, joined Senator Brown to discuss legislation that would create a new competitive program within the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD) targeted towards cities and metropolitan areas experiencing large-scale property vacancy and abandonment due to long-term employment and population losses. The program would provide funds to demolish abandoned properties, find innovative uses for old structures, and create green space. Brown and Brachman will outline how Ohio communities could use funds from the Community Regeneration, Sustainability and Innovation Act to rebuild blighted urban areas."Brown announced the legislation, the Community Regeneration, Sustainability and Innovation Act of 2009, during a conference call Wednesday. The three-year, $500 million demonstration program would provide funding to 15 small cities of 150,000 people or fewer and 15 large cities over the three years to find innovative ways of dealing with vacant structures and properties to improve the character of the neighborhoods in which they are located."

"Cities can't go it alone anymore," said Lavea Brachman, co-director of Greater Ohio, which runs a statewide vacant property redevelopment coalition.

Read the full article Senator working on bill to help deteriorating neighborhoods.