10-28-13 Common Council Agenda & Packet

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Existing Initiatives Vacant and Abandoned Properties The issue of vacant and abandoned properties has been a major concern for South Bend and cities like us throughout the Midwest. The economic shocks of past decades, combined with population shifts and changes in the housing market, have combined to leave communities like ours with more homes than families can fill, and many teetering on the brink between demolition and rehabilitation. In 2011, Mayor Pete Buttigieg convened a group of city and county officials. private sector practitioners, and neighborhood advocates to form a working group on this polity challenge. Co- chaired by academic expert Jim Kelly from the Law School of the University of Notre Dame, this group took on the dual challenge of analyzing the dimensions of South Bend's problem, and assessing the elements of a comprehensive solution. The result of this yearlong effort was the Vacant & Abandoned Properties Taskforce Report The City of South Bend's Department of Code Enforcement conducted a citywide survey of all homes in the spring of 2011 to identify vacant and abandoned properties. Code Enforcement used the following definitions for its survey: • Vacant property — no one has lived in the house for at least 90 days • Abandoned property— the home is vacant (according to above definition) AND has a code violation that has not been addressed for more than 30 days. South Bend Home Improvement Program The South Bend Home Improvement program is available to homeowners whose income does not exceed 80 percent of the area median income on a one -time basis. This program may be used for roof repair, plumbing, heating, electrical, structural repair, or removal of lead -based paint for projects exceeding $1,500. South Bend Central Development Area This redevelopment area includes the portion of the Near Northwest that is east of Lafayette. The area includes a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) district as the "Downtown Medical Services District' allocation area. Redevelopment areas are under the jurisdiction of the Redevelopment Commission. Y]