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NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM BEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLITION GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER STAFF Lavea Brachman Executive Director Alison D. Goebel Associate Director Marianne Eppig Manager of Research and Communications

The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

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This presentation provides details on best practices for implementing the Neighborhood Initiative Program guidelines. Overview of the Neighborhood Initiative Program: The Ohio Finance Agency (OHFA) received approval from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to utilize up to $60 million of Ohio’s remaining Hardest Hit Funds (HHF) to assist with stabilizing local property values through the demolition of vacant and abandoned homes across Ohio. The Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP) is designed to stabilize property values by removing and greening vacant and abandoned properties in targeted areas in an effort to prevent future foreclosures for existing homeowners. The Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP) will fund strategically targeted residential demolition in designated areas within the state of Ohio. OHFA will partner with County Land Revitalization Corporations (“land banks”) or an entity that has signed a cooperative agreement with an established county land bank. - NIP will be available to the 17 Ohio counties that have an established land bank. - OHFA has issued a Request for Proposals from the state’s county land banks. - The program commences in early 2014 and will conclude in 2017. Technical Assistance: OHFA has contracted GOPC to advise OHFA and applicants on the implementation of the Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP). Assistance includes: 1. Consultation with applicants regarding best practices for the selection of neighborhoods and properties for the program 2. Strategic and technical advice to eligible applicants in responding to the RFP for the NIP

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Page 1: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAMBEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLITION

GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER STAFF

Lavea BrachmanExecutive Director

Alison D. GoebelAssociate Director

Marianne EppigManager of Research and Communications

Page 2: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW

• About Greater Ohio Policy Center & Ohio Housing Finance Agency

• Overview of the Neighborhood Initiative Program• Purpose & Overview• Program Guidelines

• Identification of Target Areas• Target Area Plan Requirements• Identification of Target Areas• Neighborhood Types• Factors to Consider When Assessing

Neighborhood Conditions & Types and When Identifying Target Areas

• Example Target Areas• Best Practices: Youngstown and Michigan

Page 3: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW

• How to Choose Buildings for Demolition• Developing and Prioritizing Criteria for

Demolition• Potential Criteria for Demolition• Example of Building Selection• Best Practice: Youngstown• Use of Criteria to Support Demolition

Decisions• Due Diligence

• Property Acquisition• Property Acquisition & Cost Guidelines• Property Acquisition Pipelines• Acquisition & Demolition Policies

• Reuses of Land• Why is a Land Reuse Strategy Important?• Demolition, Cleaning & Greening• Property Maintenance & Disposition• Matching the Site & Reuse

• Further Resources

Page 4: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER & OHIO HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

BEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

Page 5: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER

OHFA has contracted GOPC to advise OHFA and applicants on the implementation of the Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP).

Assistance includes:• Consultation with applicants regarding best

practices for the selection of neighborhoods and properties for the program• Strategic and technical advice to eligible

applicants in responding to the RFP for the NIP

Page 6: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER:“THINK” AND “DO” TANK

An outcome-oriented statewide non-profit organization that develops and implements policies and practices to: • Revitalize Ohio’s urban cores and metropolitan

regions• Achieve sustainable land reuse and economic

growth

Page 7: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER EXPERTISE

• 2010 Restoring Prosperity to Ohio, a report co-written with the Brookings Institution

• 2012 technical assistance to the Attorney General’s Moving Ohio Forward program for demolition funding

• 2012 Demolition Roundtable and input into “Laying the Groundwork for Change: demolition, urban strategy, and policy reform” by Alan Mallach, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program

• 2013 policy brief on Regenerating America’s Legacy Cities

Page 8: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OHIO HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY

OHFA is a self-supporting quasi-public agency that uses federal and state resources to provide housing opportunities for families and individuals through programs designed to develop, preserve and sustain affordable housing throughout the State of Ohio.

OHFA is the administrator of the state’s foreclosure prevention program, Save the Dream Ohio.

OHFA website: http://www.ohiohome.org/

Page 9: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

BEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

Page 10: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW OF NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

The Ohio Finance Agency (OHFA) received approval from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to utilize up to $60 million of Ohio’s remaining Hardest Hit Funds (HHF) to assist with stabilizing local property values through the demolition of vacant homes across Ohio.

The goal of the Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP) is to stabilize property values by removing and greening vacant and blighted properties in targeted areas in an effort to prevent future foreclosures for existing homeowners.

Page 11: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

PURPOSE OF NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

The Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP) will fund strategically targeted residential demolition in designated areas within the state of Ohio.

OHFA will partner with County Land Revitalization Corporations (“land banks”) or an entity that has signed a cooperative agreement with an established county land bank.

Page 12: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW OF NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

NIP will be available to the 17 Ohio counties that have an established land bank.

OHFA has issued a Request for Proposals from the state’s county land banks.

The program began in early 2014 and will conclude in 2017.

Page 13: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW OF NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

OHFA has contracted GOPC to advise OHFA and applicants on the implementation of the Neighborhood Initiative Program (NIP).

Assistance includes:• Consultation with applicants regarding best

practices for the selection of neighborhoods and properties for the program• Strategic and technical advice to eligible

applicants in responding to the RFP for the NIP

Page 14: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

OVERVIEW OF NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

GOPC can provide assistance to applicants as they focus on:• Identifying target areas• Determining protocol for the demolition and

greening of vacant and blighted residential properties• Demonstrating the prevention of further reduction

in surrounding property values and the possible foreclosure of surrounding residential homes

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GUIDELINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

• Only vacant and blighted 1-4 unit residential properties with a unique address that qualify for lawful demolition under state or federal law are eligible for NIP funding.

• Applicants will be responsible for property acquisition, environmental assessment and remediation, demolition, greening, and ongoing maintenance of properties.

• The maximum amount of assistance per residential property is $25,000, which may only be used for pay off of a loan, approved demolition, remediation and greening of the site, maintenance, and administration for up to three years or until the final disbursement, whichever is later.

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GUIDELINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

• NIP applicants must submit a strategic plan, called a Target Plan, that proposes selective or wholesale acquisition and demolition of vacant and blighted properties in target areas (see Section 5 of the NIP Guidelines).

• This should be part of a larger comprehensive strategy to stabilize home values and prevent foreclosure within the county.

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GUIDELINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE PROGRAM

The Target Plan plan should address three key elements:1. Identification of target areas2. Source of properties to be acquired3. Maintenance and/or redevelopment of vacant

land

(See Section 5 of the NIP Guidelines for more information)

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IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AREAS

BEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

Page 19: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

TARGET AREA PLAN REQUIREMENTS

For each target area, applicants should explain the reason the area was selected and how the strategy will reduce foreclosures for existing homeowners by:• Increasing the value of surrounding properties,• Attracting private investment and development,

or • Supporting current investment and development.

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IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AREAS

Chart from “Laying the Groundwork for Change: Demolition, urban strategy, and policy reform” by Alan Mallach, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, Sept 2012

The criteria in these sections of the chart can assist in the identification and selection of target areas for demolition

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TARGET AREA PLAN REQUIREMENTS

Strategies for targeted demolition must align with an appropriate neighborhood type.

The strongest plans will likely focus on “tipping point neighborhoods,” although other neighborhoods can qualify with justification.

Type of Neighborhood Appropriate Strategy

Healthy Neighborhoods Spot demolition

Tipping Point Neighborhoods

Targeted demolition

Revitalization Neighborhoods

Demolition for infill development

Redevelopment Areas Large scale demolition for (a) redevelopment or (b) green and maintain

(See page 23 of the NIP Guidelines for definitions of neighborhood types)

Page 22: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

TIPPING POINT NEIGHBORHOODS

• In many cases, a community’s demolition priorities should not be in heavily abandoned and disinvested areas, but in areas where removal of buildings is likely to help stabilize neighborhood conditions and property values and create potential reuse opportunities.

• Tipping point neighborhoods are often the most responsive to targeted and coordinated resources.

• Targeted investment may have a larger impact on a

community with respect to resident confidence and future tax revenues than wholesale demolition.

Page 23: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

NEIGHBORHOOD TYPES

• There is no standardized set of metrics or measures that distinguish different neighborhood types.

• While each city is unique, the continuum of neighborhood conditions can typically be found in most cities.

Page 24: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN ASSESSING NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS & TYPES

Analyze the location and density of:• Foreclosure activity• Owner-occupied buildings• Vacant properties• Property values (such as

clusters of high or low property values)

• Historic districts and properties

• Crime rates• Building code complaints

Page 25: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN ASSESSING NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS & TYPES

Analyze the location and density of neighborhood assets, such as:• Recent or proposed public

or private investments• Employment centers (e.g.

local companies)• Major institutions (e.g. local

universities or hospitals)• Community amenities (e.g.

public parks and spaces)

Page 26: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AREAS

Neighborhoods that have the following features or ongoing activities are likely to benefit the most from strategic demolition:• A strong social fabric, reflected in strong neighborhood or

civic associations or neighborhood-level institutions;• Active CDC-led stabilization or revitalization activities,

preferably but not necessarily grounded in a neighborhood or target area plan;

• Features that suggest greater market potential, such as distinctive housing stock or location in close proximity to a strong anchor institution; and

• A significant planned public investment in an area, such as a new school or public transportation route.

Page 27: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AREAS

The applicant should seek information and input from representatives of community development corporations and other entities engaged in neighborhood revitalization, as well as representatives of neighborhood associations in areas potentially targeted for demolition, to help both identify priorities and strategies, and to evaluate specific buildings.

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FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET AREAS

• What are the set of priorities identified by the county and participating communities?

• Does demolition fit into the local government’s comprehensive plan of redevelopment for the overall community for improving property values, and increasing private investment and redevelopment?

Page 29: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DEMOLITION IN TARGET AREAS

Once the key target area—whether a block face, a larger area of a few city blocks, or a corridor—has been identified, all of the buildings that cannot realistically be reused in the area should be demolished.

For example, if there are three derelict abandoned buildings on a block face and two are removed, the effect on resident confidence and property values is limited; the remaining blighted property will continue to do almost as much harm as the three that previously stood there.

Page 30: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

BEST PRACTICE: YOUNGSTOWN

Public, private, and non-profit investments are targeted to Crandall Park North, Lincoln Park, and Idora because these neighborhoods have:• Existing community networks and block groups

among neighbors that could be strengthened relatively easily

• Majority owner-occupied homes, despite lower rates of occupancy

• Access to community amenities like Mill Creek Park (one of the largest metro parks in the nation) and Stambaugh Golf Course

• Architecturally unique and attractive residences

Page 31: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

EXAMPLE TARGET AREAS

Crandall Park North, Lincoln Park, and Idora Neighborhood in Youngstown are target areas for strategic demolition because they are tipping point neighborhoods.

Page 32: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

BEST PRACTICE: MICHIGAN DEMOLITION STRATEGY

The State of Michigan’s demolition program will focus on demolition of blighted or abandoned property that:• Assist in the stabilization of neighborhoods with high rates of

foreclosure prevention services and/or homeownership, or other tipping point indicators.

• Present a visual impediment along key corridors.• Is in direct support of proposed investment of public or private

funds including properties that will be redeveloped for residential or commercial use.

• Is directly adjacent to or across from recent public or private investment, proposed investment, or other assets designated as critical investments or institutions by state or local officials.

• Is critical for investment in or improvement of infrastructure, public parks or other locally or state endorsed projects.

Page 33: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

HOW TO CHOOSE BUILDINGS FOR DEMOLITION

BEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

Page 34: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

HOW TO CHOOSE BUILDINGS FOR DEMOLITION

The selection of buildings for demolition should be based upon the: • Set of priorities identified by the county and

participating communities• Market and neighborhood conditions • Feedback from engaged stakeholders• Property availability and cost

*GOPC can assist land banks with the development of policies and criteria for evaluating properties for acquisition and demolition.

Page 35: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

HOW TO CHOOSE BUILDINGS FOR DEMOLITION

• Demolition decisions will not be clear-cut.

• Decisions will involve balancing many different factors.

• Developing criteria for demolition decisions can assist the process.

Page 36: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DEVELOPING & PRIORITIZING CRITERIA FOR DEMOLITION

• Applicants should identify and prioritize criteria to guide their demolition activities.

• Criteria can be ranked or weighted to account for their relative priority.

• Prioritization should be based on existing community and city priorities.

Page 37: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DEVELOPING & PRIORITIZING CRITERIA FOR DEMOLITION

• Since each county is unique, the significance—and therefore the weighting—of criteria should be tailored to the local context.

• If developed to fit the local context, criteria can be used to help make strategic decisions that are more likely to be appropriate for local communities.

Page 38: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

POTENTIAL CRITERIA FOR DEMOLITION

From “Laying the Groundwork for Change: Demolition, urban strategy, and policy reform” by Alan Mallach, Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, Sept 2012

The criteria in this section of the chart can assist in the identification and selection of buildings for demolition

Page 39: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

QUALITY & CHARACTER OF BUILDING

Does the building have architectural or historical value, either in itself or as part of a coherent ensemble?

• Demolish the building if it is physically obsolete.• Preserve the building if it is attractive, of high quality, or

of architectural or historic value.• Properties listed on a federal historic register are

not eligible for NIP funding for demolition. Properties located in historic districts will be subject to local historic preservation legislation, which may or may not allow for demolition.

Page 40: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN ASSESSING BUILDING CONDITION

What is the condition of the building and what is the likely cost to rehabilitate it for productive use?

• Demolish the building if it is physically obsolete and if the cost to rehab the building significantly outweighs its value.

• Preserve the building if it is attractive, of high quality, or of architectural or historic value.

• A building’s value can be determined through:• An Auditor’s appraisal• Services such as Zillow (which may not be as reliable)• Real estate “broker price opinions”

Page 41: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

NUISANCE & BLIGHTING EFFECT

Does the building have a blighting effect on the surrounding area, or does it constitute a present or potential nuisance—a threat to public health or safety?

• Demolish the building if its nuisance impact and the harm that it is doing in its present condition (in the absence of immediate reuse potential) outweighs the benefits of saving it for possible future use.

• Preserve the building if the reuse potential of the building, even if not immediate, outweighs the current harm that it does in its present condition, particularly if enhanced efforts are made to secure or stabilize the property. Political and/or public support for preserving the building may help to determine this.

Page 42: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

NUISANCE & BLIGHTING EFFECT

Ohio Revised Code provides state definitions of a “blighted parcel” and “nuisance.”

• A “blighted parcel” is generally a property that is dilapidated, unsanitary , unsafe, vermin infested, or that poses a direct threat to public health or safety.• For more details, see Ohio Revised Code Section 1.08 or

page 5 of the NIP Guidelines.

• A “nuisance“ is generally an activity on or condition of a property that is harmful or annoying to others. • For more details, see Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3767.

Page 43: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DOES THE BUILDING POSE A DANGER TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY?

• Does the building fit “blighted parcel” criteria?

• Does the building pose an environmental or public safety concern?

If the answer is “yes” to either of these questions, demolition of the property may be desirable.

Page 44: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

CONTRIBUTION TO TEXTURE

Does the presence of the building contribute meaningfully to the existing neighborhood texture, and would it be compromised by the building’s removal?

• Demolish the building if it is located in an area where the neighborhood fabric has largely been lost through incompatible land uses and demolitions.

• Preserve the building if it is located in an area where the neighborhood fabric is still strong, and the building’s presence contributes to that fabric.

Page 45: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

REUSE POTENTIAL

What potential redevelopment or revitalization opportunities, if any, will the demolition of the building create?

• Demolish the building if the demolition will facilitate a comprehensive rebuilding or revitalization strategy in the area.

• Preserve the building if demolition will result in an unused vacant lot rather than an opportunity for redevelopment or revitalization.

Page 46: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

EXAMPLE OF BUILDING SELECTION

• Building is a blight to the surrounding community.• Demolition of the

building is coordinated with local revitalization efforts and community plans.

Page 47: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

BEST PRACTICE: YOUNGSTOWN PROPERTY RANKING FOR DEMOLITION

Demolition criteria to rank properties for demolition desirability:• Property condition• Proximity to vacant and occupied homes• Active neighborhood group or block-watch• Focus neighborhood of an organization

Page 48: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

BEST PRACTICE: YOUNGSTOWN PROPERTY RANKING FOR DEMOLITION

• A Rating• Excellent, no visible signs of

deterioration• Well maintained and cared for• New construction or renovation• Unique, historic detailing

• B Rating• Needs basic improvements• Needs minor painting• Needs removal of weeds or

landscaping• Needs to be cleaned

• C Rating• Some cracking of brick and wood• Major painting required• Crumbling concrete

• Cracked or damaged

• D Rating• Major cracking of brick, wood rotting• Broken or missing windows• Missing brick and siding• Open holes in roof

• F Rating• House is open and a shell• Ransacked and full of trash• In danger of collapse• Immediate safety hazard to

neighborhood

Page 49: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

USE OF CRITERIA TO SUPPORT DEMOLITION DECISIONS

• Criteria will not only legitimize demolition decisions, but also will maximize the value of demolition and provide the greatest impact.

• Quantifying metrics for criteria can help with demolition decisions.

• Applicants can use metrics for criteria to describe how demolition activities would impact and aid target areas and their surrounding communities.

• Applicants can use metrics to describe how demolition activities further current revitalization activities and goals already outlined by the community.

*GOPC can assist land banks with the development of policies and criteria for evaluating properties for acquisition and demolition.

Page 50: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DUE DILIGENCE

Inspections

• Some level of pre-acquisition due diligence is necessary, even if demolition is planned.

• Prior to acquisition, there is no shortcut to a physical on-site property inspection. Staff or hired inspection vendors should look at the property from various perspectives.• Is the home vacant? • Are there squatters? • Does the home have a realty "For Sale" sign?• Consider other indicators that are noted throughout this presentation

• In the case of tax foreclosed vacant and abandoned property, there is typically no opportunity to observe the interior of a home unless the home is open and unsecured. Exterior inspections should still occur with pending tax foreclosures.

Page 51: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DUE DILIGENCE

Inspections

• Properties acquired from third parties (Fannie Mae, HUD, housing court, REOs), permit pre-acquisition access by county land banks onto properties to determine interior and exterior physical conditions.

• A standardized property inspection form should be developed by the county land bank and filled out. The form should identify key exterior conditions, occupancy, and primary interior conditions (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, roof, foundation, basement, etc.). This allows land bank staff to track the general trajectory of the property (rehab, hold, demolition) once it the information is entered into the land bank database.

Page 52: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

DUE DILIGENCE

Being strategic requires available and credible data and research.

Depending on the county, common databases include GIS, Auditor's data, Treasurer's data, Clerk of Court's dockets, Sheriff's data, Recorder's data and private sector real property databases.

Useful information for analyzing a particular acquisition, on a spatial basis, include:

• Surrounding tax delinquency• Surrounding private foreclosures status• Surrounding pending tax foreclosures• Surrounding code violations and condemnation notices• Surrounding active building permits• U.S. postal records showing vacancy• Surrounding land bank or municipal lots• Other planning districts

Page 53: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

PROPERTY ACQUISITIONBEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

Page 54: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

NIP PROPERTY ACQUISITION GUIDELINES

Property eligibility

• Only vacant and blighted 1-4 unit residential properties with a unique address that qualify for lawful demolition under state or federal law qualify for NIP funding.

• Properties must be located in a target area that is part of a comprehensive strategy to stabilize home values and prevent foreclosure.

Page 55: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

NIP PROPERTY ACQUISITION GUIDELINES

Property cost guidelines

• The maximum amount of assistance will be $25,000 per property, which may only be used for payoff of an existing loan, approved demolition, remediation and greening of the site, or maintenance and administration for up to three years or until final disbursement, whichever is later.

• The applicant must acquire or already own the property being demolished with a loan of non-NIP funds.

Page 56: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

PROPERTY ACQUISITION PIPELINES

County land banks can acquire vacant and blighted residential property in a number of ways:

• Tax-delinquent foreclosure process• Forfeited land• Deed in lieu of foreclosure• Donation/gift• Condemnation• Other voluntary means of purchase

Properties already owned by the land bank may be included.

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ACQUISITION & DEMOLITION POLICIES

• The Applicant must provide a copy of the organization’s policies and criteria for evaluating properties for acquisition and demolition, if such policies were adopted. Partners that have not adopted policies regarding acquisition and demolition will be required to do so prior to executing a funding agreement with OHFA.*

• The policies should address factors such as available funding, carrying expense, demolition cost versus rehabilitation cost, environmental risk, threat to public safety, deteriorated conditions, long term vacancy, and future use of the site.

• These policies must be submitted with the application for funding. Applicants should inform OHFA of any changes or updates to these policies.

*GOPC can assist land banks with the development of policies and criteria for evaluating properties for acquisition and demolition.

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REUSES OF LANDBEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

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DEMOLITION & LAND REUSE

• Demolition will lead to vacant land.

• Applicants will want to prioritize demolition of properties that have specific reuse potential.

• Some parcels may remain vacant.

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WHY IS A LAND REUSE STRATEGY IMPORTANT?

• Proximity to a neglected vacant lot subtracts 20 percent from the base value from a nearby home.

• A home near a stabilized lot—one that has been improved through cleaning and greening—increases the home’s base value by approximately 15 percent.

(From “Public Investment Strategies: How They Matter for Neighborhoods in Philadelphia” by Susan M. Wachter and Kevin C. Gillen of The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania)

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DEMOLITION & GREENING

• The goal of the NIP is to stabilize property values by demolishing and greening vacant and abandoned properties in targeted areas in an effort to prevent future foreclosures for existing homeowners.

• NIP will provide funds for greening and maintaining properties through 2017 or until disposition for an eligible use.

• Partners will be reimbursed up to $1,500 per property for the cost of greening a site upon submission of an invoice with appropriate documentation.

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MAINTENANCE & DISPOSITION

• The NIP requires land banks to green and maintain properties for three years following the disbursement of NIP funds for demolition.

• Applicants should describe their current approach to maintenance and disposition of property, as well as their plan to meet the requirements for maintaining the property for the required term.

• The plan should also address possible disposition of properties through transfers to other owners qualifying for early lien release.

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CLEANING & GREENING

• Partners should consider several factors in determining the appropriate method of greening a site after demolition, including:• Size • Location • Condition of the soil • Availability of water and sunlight • Slope

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CLEANING & GREENING

• Eligible costs for greening, beyond basic grading and seeding, include:• Disposal of debris (such as illegal dumping or junk

vehicles)• Planting grass, trees or flowers• Installing fencing, benches or beds

• Land banks will be reimbursed up to $1,500 per property for the cost of greening a site upon submission of an invoice with appropriate documentation.

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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

• While the long term goal of acquisition and demolition of vacant properties may be redevelopment, the market may not be ready in the short term.

• Land banks must have a strategy for maintaining properties in a manner that enhances the neighborhood.

• NIP will provide funds to support ongoing care of sites, including mowing, trimming and removal of trash.

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PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

• NIP will reimburse up to $400 annually for up to three years for maintenance of the site, upon submission of an invoice with appropriate documentation.

• The actual cost of maintenance may be less for properties that are quickly transferred to another owner for eligible use, but may be greater for properties that are held longer.

• Land banks will be permitted to aggregate the reimbursements for maintenance into one account that can be allocated over all of the NIP properties and used until liens are released.

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PROPERTY DISPOSITION

The HHF lien will remain in place for three years. The lien may be released prior to the expiration date if the lien amount is paid off in full. Special considerations for properties proposed for early lien release and without payment must be submitted to OHFA on a case by case basis.

Special considerations are limited to:

• Residential Side Lot Programs• Public Use• Business or Residential Development• Non-profit Organizations

For more information, see Section 8, Part D of the NIP Guidelines.

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MATCHING THE SITE & REUSE

• Residential Side Lot Programs:• Incorporating the property into a side lot program may make sense if the vacant

residential property shares at least a 50% common boundary with an owner occupied residential property that is in good standing.

• Public Use:• Multiple adjacent vacant properties along an urban corridor, for example, may be

conducive to public use as parks, recreation areas, infrastructure projects, and community gardens owned by a public entity.

• Business or Residential Development:• Transfer of the property to a private owner may make sense if the new use complies

with local zoning regulation and construction or operation can begin within one year of the property conveyance.

• Non-profit Organizations:• Transfer of the property to an associated community-oriented non-profit may make

sense if the proposed use must benefit the community and comply with local zoning. Construction or operation must begin within one year of the property conveyance.

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FURTHER RESOURCESBEST PRACTICES FOR STRATEGIC DEMOLIT ION

Page 71: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

FURTHER RESOURCES

• “Vacant to Vibrant: A guide for revitalizing vacant lots in your neighborhood” produced by Carnegie Mellon University Heinz School of Public Policy and Management, Fall 2006

• “Policy Recommendations: Greening Vacant Lots for Pittsburgh’s Sustainable Neighborhood Revitalization” produced by Carnegie Mellon University Heinz School of Public Policy and Management, Fall 2006

• “Vacant Property: Strategies for Redevelopment in the Contemporary City” by Luke Wilkinson, Georgia Institute of Technology, MCRP 2011

• “Green Investment Strategies: How They Matter for Urban Neighborhoods” by Wachter, Gillen and Brown of the Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania, 2007

Page 72: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

GREATER OHIO POLICY CENTER

Greater Ohio Policy Center is available to advise applicants through:• Email• Phone• In person, as needed

For our assistance, please contact:Marianne Eppig

Manager of Research and [email protected]

614-224-1087

Page 73: The Neighborhood Initiative Program: Best Practices for Strategic Demolition

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