The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland provides an early assessment of a new foreclosure law in Ohio designed to help reduce vacant and blighted properties in the state.
An article by Michelle Park Lazzette details a new state law in Ohio that fast-tracks foreclosures of vacant and abandoned properties.
Lazzette checks in with community development experts from the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, the same organization that targeted the need for such a law in a 2013 white paper. Their verdict: the success of the new law will all come down to implementation.
Potential sticking points for the new law include local jurisdictions, financial institutions, and some local housing advocates, according to the Cleveland Fed experts cited in the article. The potential benefits of the new law, however, include lower costs to local jurisdictions and neighbors.
FULL STORY: A Faster Foreclosure Option for Vacant, Abandoned Properties

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.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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