Bringing down the house

By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

June 25, 2008 05:12 pm

— ASHTABULA — They call it the Dirty Baker’s Dozen.
Bolstered by Ohio’s Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), 13 dilapidated unlivable houses were demolished last year, a big number for a little city like Ashtabula, but city housing director Jason Strong said there is a lot of work yet to be done and a lot of other houses to tear down.
“Out of 100 garages deemed structurally unstable, 55 were torn down. We have 80 houses on our condemned or dangerous-dwelling list, and 13 were torn down,” Strong said. “That is progress, but it really is just a start.”
Strong said he supports the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which could bring a portion of $4 billion in federal dollars to Ohio. The measure targets cities and states blighted by abandoned homes, and provides financial counseling and help for homeowners facing imminent foreclosure, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, said.
“I think the intention is excellent,” Strong said. “Obviously, any money we get to help the blight and the people of Ashtabula is welcomed. I’m all for it.”
Strong said vacant vandalized houses attract drug activity and pose dangers to area safety forces.
“Three vacant houses caught fire last year. That is three times our firefighters had to go into a burning house that might not have been structurally sound to begin with,” Strong said.
The blight puts a damper on an already wet housing market in the city, Strong said.
“Bringing down these condemned houses will reduce the strain on safety forces and the city’s budget. It might cost money now, but we will get it all back the very next year,” he said.
Strong said he is concerned about his tax dollars helping irresponsible lenders but agrees the ends justify the means.
“I just hope this is a balanced bill that will hold these lenders to their mistakes. But something has to be done to help people who are in trouble and people who just want their neighborhoods to support the value of their house,” he said.