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| Survey of houses will determine critical areas for improvement |
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Friday, August 28, 2009
By JOEL TURNER - Staff Writer
Rocky Mount town officials are making a survey of the town's housing stock to determine where to direct neighborhood stabilization efforts.
"We're already aware of most of the problem areas, but we want to make sure nothing is overlooked," said Assistant Town Manager Matt Hankins.
"This survey is in anticipation of requesting funding for the (housing) program in the fiscal 2011 budget," he said.
Hankins said the goal is to take a long-term approach to stabilize neighborhoods over the next 10-15 years by addressing the most critical areas first.
Over time, probably within five years, the town should be able to build a working capital fund to eliminate blight issues as they arise, he said. This will also put people to work at local manufacturers and contractors, he said.
Hankins said he anticipates that he and Nathan Wright, code inspector and GIS technician, will be walking neighborhoods in September as part of the survey.
"If we target a property for acquisition and demolition this year, we'll ask council for acquisition and demolition money in the spring," Hankins said.
During budget sessions last spring, Town Manager James Ervin said town officials received a lot of complaints about blighted property in the town.
Ervin said Norfolk and Virginia Beach have similar programs that have been successful in removing blight in neighborhoods.
Rocky Mount has new legal tools that were approved by the Virginia General Assembly this year to help eliminate blighted properties in the town by demolishing or renovating them, Hankins said.
One option for the town is to push the owners of damaged and neglected structures to work with the town to eliminate the blight.
Town council can declare a property to be blighted, then town officials can order the property owner to develop a plan to demolish or renovate the structure, according to Hankins.
Under this procedure, the town would establish a real estate tax abatement program for the properties that are renovated or demolished.
The real estate taxes could be abated for a maximum of five years to cover either the cost of demolition or the difference in the property value caused by the improvements, Hankins said.
The real estate tax abatement is transferable to new owners, so it makes an incentive to potential purchasers, Hankins said.
The second option for eliminating blight is for the town to contract to have the property demolished or renovated.
Town officials can declare a property as derelict, then contract to fix the property at town expense, Hankins said. The town can then place a lien against the property to recover the cost.
Hankins said the General Assembly also passed legislation that enables localities to charge a property owner for the cost of eliminating graffiti from a private building, wall, fence or other structure located on an unoccupied property.
Unpaid costs become a lien against the property, Hankins said. |
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