Ohio State Law Aims to Reduce ‘Zombie’ Vacant Properties

By | September 29, 2016

A new Ohio law is being viewed as a national model for eliminating zombies — zombie properties, that is.

The measure that took effect on Sept. 28 speeds up foreclosures on vacant and abandoned properties, called zombies because they languish like the living dead.

The legislation was passed in the General Assembly and was signed by Republican Gov. John Kasich. It establishes a fast-track system trimming Ohio’s foreclosure process from two years or more to as little as six months.

Backers say the law protects property owners’ rights by requiring at least three of 11 listed factors to be present before foreclosure can begin. Factors include disconnected utilities, boarded-up windows and accumulated trash.

Cleveland-based blight opponent Robert Klein says a vacant property isn’t a bottle of wine and “does not get better with age.”

Topics Ohio

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Latest Comments

  • September 30, 2016 at 12:33 pm
    Fair Playing Field says:
    Deplorable Agent wrote: "They do make good crack houses and meth cooking if there is a bathtub on premises". Thank you for that insider's perspective. It's always interesting ... read more
  • September 29, 2016 at 2:22 pm
    Deplorables says:
    They do make good crack houses and meth cooking if there is a bathtub on premises.
  • September 29, 2016 at 2:10 pm
    Hmmmmm says:
    As long as there are safeguards in place that the process isn't such a "hurry up" pace that people have property taken away from them if circumstances dictate a reason for the... read more

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