Lien Forward Ohio IN ACTION
State Treasurer visits
Lien Forward Ohio
Ohio Treasurer Richard Cordray visited Lien Forward Ohio on April 4, 2008 to get the latest information about this innovative program.
Mahoning County Treasurer Lisa Antonini and members of the Lien Forward Ohio and County Treasurer’s staff shared lunch and discussion with Treasurer Cordray, who as former treasurer of Franklin County understands issues of land abandonment in urban areas.
What Treasurer Cordray learned, among other things:
· Since May 2007, more than 200 persons have participated in Lien Forward Ohio’s series of free, one-hour workshops to express their interest in acquiring vacant, abandoned, tax delinquent land with this agency’s help.
· To date, Lien Forward Ohio has completed or is facilitating ownership transfers on about 200 properties in Youngstown and Mahoning County for 80 interested parties (individuals and groups).
· Lien Forward Ohio and qualified parties share legal costs associated with land ownership transfers. Statistics show that, for every dollar in financial aid awarded by Lien Forward Ohio, clients are investing approximately $1.30.
At the end of the meeting, Treasurer Cordray called Lien Forward Ohio a “well-executed” program. He offered his support, as well as the resources of his office, to aid Lien Forward Ohio in achieving its goals.
Profile: St. Patrick Church
Two ongoing projects are part of one goal to stabilize the neighborhood around St. Patrick Church on Youngstown’s lower South Side.
Parish leaders, under the direction of Fr. Edward Noga, have used tax liens to negotiate for ownership of properties on Kenmore and Oak Hill avenues and Cleveland Street.
St. Patrick Church was a catalyst in the relocation of the Oak-Ken playground from the southeast corner of Oak Hill and Kenmore avenues to the northwest corner of that intersection. The church swapped properties with Youngstown Park and Recreation Commission. In the end, the park gained a larger, more visible site for construction of a new neighborhood playground, and the church completed a much-needed parking lot that is used not only by its parishioners, but also The Needle’s Eye counseling center.
St. Patrick Church is acting on its next plans with Lien Forward Ohio’s help.
Lien Forward Ohio is providing legal assistance to St. Patrick Church as its leaders work to acquire seven more vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent lots behind the church complex.
Church representatives said the lots – four are on Kenmore Avenue, three on Cleveland Street – already are maintained by the parish. The church owns other properties there that have been acquired by gift, bequest or after purchasing tax liens.
Once the church acquires the additional seven lots, the entire area will have a number of potential uses, including Habitat for Humanity building sites, an urban community garden and additional church parking.