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Lisbon targets problem property

LISBON –A vacant East Chestnut Street home that was the subject of neighbor complaints at several village council meetings this summer is on the fast track to possibly being acquired for demolition by the Columbiana County land bank program.

Councilman Peter Wilson reported this week the property at 518 E. Chestnut St. was on the list of properties to be sold at a sheriff’s sale scheduled for Oct. 9.

“This is really good news,” he said.

The dilapidated condition of the long-vacant property was the focus of considerable discussion at council meetings in June and July and how it related to the village’s inaction when it comes to enforcing the nuisance housing law. Wilson has since taken the lead in coming up with list of residences that will receive letters warning them they are in violation of the nuisance law and will be cited if they do not correct the problems.

Joseph Morenz, who was mayor at the time, said the problem with the East Chestnut Street property is it was purchased at a tax lien sale by Tax Ease. The property owes about $17,000 in delinquent property taxes, and the company gives owners a year to pay up before it initiates foreclosure action.

More than a year had passed, but no delinquent tax foreclosure resulted. Wilson contacted not only Tax Ease but county Treasurer Linda Bolon, whose office sold the tax lien, and Krista Peddicord, the assistant county prosecutor who handles delinquent property tax foreclosures, to see if they could speed things along. He believes all three worked to expedite the foreclosure, resulting in the pending sheriff’s sale.

“I guess the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” Wilson said.

If the property goes through two sheriff’s sales and there is no successful bidder, the land bank could obtain it without having to pay the back taxes. Wilson said land bank officials have told him the East Chestnut Street property is on its list of possible acquisitions.

The land bank is already acquiring another problem property at 127 S. Beaver St., which is another long-vacant home deemed unsafe after a portion of the foundation began to crumble.

The land bank has also sold a dilapidated vacant home it acquired at 264 W. Washington St. to someone who has agreed to rehabilitate the structure.

tgiambroni@mojonews.com

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