Community members in Ohio are fighting against real estate prospectors by buying up property before investors can move in to "flip" them for a quick profit.
"Trying to keep strategically valuable properties out of the hands of banks and investors, some communities are starting to head them off at the sheriff's auction."
"In July, a group of impromptu investors - all College Hill residents or business owners - offered $85,000 for a former office supply store just north of Cedar Avenue in the Hamilton Avenue business district. They outbid Wesbanco Inc., which foreclosed on the previous owner after he defaulted on a $100,000 loan."
"'We didn't want to leave it up in the air for who-knows-who would buy it,' says Elizabeth Sherwood, president of the College Hill Forum and one of nine investors in Streetcar Properties LLC."
FULL STORY: Communities beat 'flippers' to the punch

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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