FOR MAHONING COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY

[kitten44505]

NO SQATTERS RIGHTS

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According to the CDA there is no sqatters rights in Youngstown, but that shouldn't stop neighbors from taking care of business. The city will not stop neighbors from mowing lawns and cleaning up lots in their neighborhoods, but if they want to own it, they will bave to go through the usual channels.

On our block, the neighbors have been doing a good job keeping the grass down and the lots clean simply because we care.

There is a house that needs torn down, but as bad as that house is, we keep the grass cut and the lot clean.

It's in the best interest of property owners to care for their neighborhood and not wait for the city to do the job.

[solomia]

I have been to the auditors site, I have placed a complaint on the health dept site about the abandoned house owned by the city due to tax liens.  Now two months later the grass is three feet high.  Many neighbors are asking if the squatter rights still exists, if so we will all pitch in to clean up this eye sore

[AllanY2525]

You can check ownership on any parcel of land in Mahoning
County by going to the Mahoning County web site and
clicking the links that lead to the Auditor's web site.

On the Auditor's site, they have a tool that can lookup
any parcel by owner name, street address, lot number,
etc.  Lots of useful information is available once you've
pulled the records for a land parcel, such as the last
several owner(s), any taxes due on the property, lot size,
dimensions, property line locations, frontages, etc.

[kitten44505]

I doubt it, but I do know that there are a couple of empty lots that are being cared for by the folks that live next to them, and they have been making small gardens, and with the rest of the land, keeping it mowed.

[solomia]

Are squatter rights still in existence?  If a person or community takes care of abandoned property or lots, and have proof of time, expense,and work done , they can file for deed of property.

[kitten44505]

I would suggest contacting the North Side Citizens Coalition. There are two large lots on Elm Street near Thornton that would be ideal for starters.

Use these as test sites, and go from there.

The larger of the two would produce enough crops that it would draw the interest of others who could use it as a model for other sites.

If we could get a sponsor, we might even have some materials donated. A great sponsor might be YSU itself as part of a community outreach effort.

[ysualum]

I think this is a very good idea!  How difficult would it be to determine which empty lots the city owns?  And, would we need some type of permission?  

[kitten44505]

THIS MESSAGE APPLIES ONLY TO THOSE LIVING IN MAHONING COUNTY

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CITY CONTROLLED EMPTY LOTS

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As we all know, there are large empty lots on all sides of town that are under the control of the City of Youngstown, and as everyone knows, the grass on most of these lots is hip deep.

As we also know, the city is loth to have it's workers take their John Deere's out to mow these weed infested lots until so much pressure is placed on them that they have no other choice.

MY PROPOSAL

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It's too late this year but starting next year we put our time and money where our mouths are by adopting some of these lots and with the approval of the city, using our own time and money, turn these empty lots into small truck gardens, and as the various crops come in, allow the neighbors to help themselves, provided of course they helped take care of the crops by giving at least one days work per week.