Housing Solutions: Future City

 

   According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development winter 2014 report and a study by the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies there are 7.4 million vacant homes in the US.   This is a record high when this research was done in 2012.  Most of the increases occurred in the South and West with the concentration in 50 US counties with most in metropolitan areas.

     Research links foreclosed, vacant, and abandoned properties to increased crime, increased risk to public health and welfare, drug trafficking, increased costs for municipal governments and reduced property values.

     The causes of vacant properties is varied and includes the foreclosure crisis of recent years, the long term decline of rust belt areas where manufacturing and employment declined and the subsequent out migration of citizens.

     Defining a vacant property can be based on its status. City codes and regulations and ownership laws have made it difficult to find a solution to vacancy. For the purpose of establishing a strategy for dealing with vacancies, the following definitions are promulgated. The list indicates properties which should be sold, rezoned to multi-purpose or torn down.  These changes offer an amazing opportunity to build a future city.

A List

Vacant Property – the structure is for sale and under management by a residential or commercial real estate agent who has been contracted to sell the property. Property is secured, monitored and prepped for sale.

A List

Commercial Property – these properties whether abandoned or for sell provide an excellent opportunity to grow business enterprises in the city.

B List

Vacant Property – These are foreclosures where the owner has been evicted for failure to make mortgage payments.  They also can be sold or rezoned for designated multi-purpose use. They are essentially owned by HUD or the mortgage company. City ordinances can require the upkeep and security of these properties.

C List

Abandoned Property – This is city owned property that was seized for failure to pay the property tax or fees charged for other code violations.

D

List Brownfield – formerly a manufacturing or commercial site considered to be polluted. There are a number of solutions that have been developed for reclaiming and developing Brownfields.

Provide persons with section 8, 202 and 811 vouchers the opportunity to move out of projects/public housing into selected single family modernized homes.

Designate a certain number of properties as historic preservation structures

Designate a certain number of properties to removed and replaced with green space

Designate a certain of properties to be removed and replaced with vertical gardens and/or green houses.

Rezone selected residential property to multi-zoned, mixed use, general business, agricultural estate, light industrial, or office flex.  This re-zoning is for the purpose of establishing business incubators for job and income growth.