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Ogdensburg modifies housing programs to address city’s slum, blight problems

Posted 9/18/16

By JIMMY LAWTON OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg made changes to its housing programs that will help the city address slums and blighted properties in the city. Ogdensburg eliminated two programs, which …

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Ogdensburg modifies housing programs to address city’s slum, blight problems

Posted

By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Ogdensburg made changes to its housing programs that will help the city address slums and blighted properties in the city.

Ogdensburg eliminated two programs, which City Planner Andrea Smith says are no longer valid.

Those include the “Landlord Contribution Loan Pool” and the “Homeownership Loans” as programs for investment of income. Smith said the programs are functionally obsolete.

She recommended the city create an “Elimination of Slums and Blight” program. Under this plan funding can be awarded to aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight.

It establishes a revolving loan fund that can lend up to $25,999 to be used under three conditions.

Those include “Slum Blight Area Basis,” “Slum Blight Spot Basis” and “Urgent Need.”

She said the loans would be for five years with interest rates varying from 0 to 7 percent on a sliding scale based on borrower income.

This would allow the city to use housing grants to target rehabilitation or elimination of buildings that have fallen into disrepair or become hazardous to the public. Prior to this change in the housing program language such uses were not explicitly permitted.

City Councilor Daniel Skamperle said he believed this would be a great use of grant funding as the city has a growing problem with blighted properties.

The resolution was approved by all councilors present.