Abandoned Homes Project Issues Additional 100 Vouchers to Cleveland-Area Homeowners Facing Housing Court Prosecution

CLEVELAND, Feb. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Abandoned Homes Project announced today that 100 additional vouchers have been mailed to the owners of abandoned and distressed homes who either face current housing court prosecution or are "highly likely" to face prosecution by spring of this year.  The newly-issued vouchers provide free assistance to owners of vacant properties in three Cleveland areas: Spring Road/Broadview Road, Lee-Harvard, and Shaker Square/Larchmere.

Last month, the organization launched a massive ad campaign that will target over 5,000 property owners in Cleveland, Akron/Canton, and Columbus in 2019. The additional vouchers are being issued to combat what the organization sees as "increased activity" by City of Cleveland officials seeking to prosecute owners of properties in these three neighborhoods.

"As has been our position since we started in 2015, the Project respectfully disagrees with the City of Cleveland's continued jailing and fining of owners of vacant and abandoned homes who have no prior history with the court system. First time drug offenders are rarely jailed, yet many cities have resorted to jailing working class and elderly citizens simply because they cannot afford to maintain their property," said Donald Postway, a spokesperson for the organization. "There is absolutely no data which suggest jailing homeowners effectively reduces vacancy rates in urban areas. In fact, our research tells us that the opposite istrue."

Homeowners who received a "Welcome Letter" from the organization in the mail should contact their caseworker immediately at the number listed on the letter. Additional information can also be found online at http://www.ahponline.org by clicking the yellow "START HERE" button or by calling 216.766.5705. Assistance is available 24/7, including weekends and holidays.

About the Abandoned Homes Project

Since 2015, the Abandoned Homes Project has invigorated the conversation about changing the way local governments, community development organizations, and residents of urban and rural communities impacted by the abandoned homes crises can work together to solve this critical social issue. We fight for fair and equal justice for owners of abandoned homes while simultaneously developing the technology platforms of tomorrow that will aid local governments nationwide in the fight against blight, increase incoming tax revenues, and predict housing vacancies before they occur. Local governments can learn more by visiting www.ahponline.org and clicking the blue "GOVERNMENT" tab on the home page.

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SOURCE Abandoned Homes Project