The program goal is ambitious, but achievable, the treasurer says.
YOUNGSTOWN — Local officials hope the opening of the Lien Forward Ohio office on the mezzanine of 20 Federal Place will expedite the return of vacant, tax-delinquent land to productive use.
City and county officials conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday at the program's rent-free office in Suite M5A of the city-owned former Phar-Mor Centre on West Federal Street.
Lien Forward's goal is to return 5,000 vacant, abandoned parcels to productive use within five years by helping interested parties buy delinquent tax liens against the parcels at low cost.
"That's an admittedly ambitious goal, but, with hard work and solid strategic partnerships, I believe we can achieve that," said Mahoning County Treasurer John Reardon, who is also Lien Forward board chairman.
Founded last year, the program is a partnership of the city and the county and is funded by fees from negotiated tax lien sales.
Who benefits
Stephen Hanzely, a retired Youngstown State University physics professor and president of Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County, said Lien Forward will benefit Habitat by allowing it to acquire land at advantageous prices for construction of new homes for low-income people. "We're not in a position to pay high prices for buildable lots," he added.
"This is the kind of innovative leadership that will lead to more money for our education system that ultimately will benefit all of us," said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17th, who praised Reardon's efforts. Ryan, of Niles, was referring to the process whereby tax lien sales result in schools and local governments benefiting from real estate tax collections.
The initiative began as the treasurer's land reutilization program, which has returned more than 500 parcels of Youngstown land to productive use in the last two years, Reardon said.
"Lien Forward Ohio is taking that initiative to the next level," Reardon said. "We are officially open for business now, and we invite folks to come and see us to talk about land ownership in the city of Youngstown and surrounding communities and how we can help to facilitate that."
Mayor Jay Williams said, "It helps us to facilitate the transfer of these delinquent tax properties into the hands of citizens" who want to acquire adjacent lots or who want to return the properties to productive use. "Previously, that process was a little bit difficult and cumbersome."
William Addington, Lien Forward's executive director, said eight to 10 people a day already had been walking into his office and 12 to 20 more each day were telephoning his office to inquire about land acquisition before Wednesday's ceremony. "The response has been overwhelming," he added.