Lorain now using search warrants to move nuisance properties to demolition

LORAIN, Ohio - It's a growing problem the city of Lorain has been dealing with for three decades -- hundreds of  vacant and abandoned homes.

But now the city is fighting back, using search warrants in a unique way, allowing it to gain access to dozens of nuisance properties, in an effort to move them to demolition.

Community Development Director Rey Carrion told NewsChannel5 Lorain has developed a task force, banding together its municipal court, its prosecutor's office and building department.

The task force legally allows the city to issue search warrants on properties that are deemed a hazard, when the homeowner can't be located.

"A lot of these properties have absentee landlords, people we have not been in contact with for many years," said Carrion. "We felt that it is appropriate for us to take the necessary action to get into these homes, determine their condition, declare these properties a public nuisance, and demolish them."

Lorain has issued search warrants on 34 abandoned properties in just the first week of Sept., and is planning to issue warrants on dozens more by the end of 2012.

Carrion said the housing crisis hit Lorain extremely hard, a city that has lost 14,000 people in the past 40 years, creating a huge problem with vacant and unwanted homes.

Carrion explained Lorain has a master plan, to take down hundreds of vacant properties over the next year, thus reducing crime, and improving property values.

Resident Leonidas Knowles, who lives with his three children in one of the target neighborhoods, applauded the cities use of search warrants to help solve the vacant home problem.

"Living down the street, I have to drive-by them everyday, and look at them, they're definitely an eyesore," said Knowles." A lot of unwanted activity goes on in these abandoned homes, and it's a big uplift to me to know they're going."

Meanwhile, NewsChannel5 is also trying to help make a difference when it comes to vacant properties.

We're inviting residents to report nuisance properties through our Building Better Neighborhood initiative .

Just send us pictures and information on vacant homes in your neighborhood and we'll forward the information to your city building department, in an effort to move the properties to progress.

We are also giving residents information on how they can volunteer in their neighborhoods to make them better.