MVOC Wins Ten Point Agreement with Landlord

MVOC Wins Ten Point Agreement with Landlord

The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC)’s campaign to force a local landlord to clean up his problem properties is beginning to see success. Mac Properties Group (Mac) has demolished four of its vacant properties and has boarded up dozens more after negotiating an agreement with MVOC.

Despite these achievements, the committee has expressed that they are not done with Mac, and that the owner has not yet fulfilled his agreement. “We’re sick of having blight in our city neighborhoods. We have to hold these landlords accountable. No one deserves to live by this or in this,” stated Jim London, president of the Idora Neighborhood Association.

Mac owns and operates approximately 300 properties in the city of Youngstown – of which 20 percent were found to be uninhabitable and/or abandoned eyesores. Still, leaders noted that the campaign is just beginning, and that Mac Properties is only one of their targeted landlords.

“For us to get a community agreement signed was a big accomplishment,” said Christine Silvestri of Boulevard Park Block Watch. Because of the landmark ten-point agreement signed in January, the group has been able to hold Mac Properties accountable for its contribution to the blight that is strangling the city of Youngstown.

Indeed, by June 2009, Mac had torn down four houses, a garage, remodeled two homes, re-roofed a house, boarded the majority of its vacant properties, and enforced stricter tenant screenings. Yet, MVOC is still waiting for a detailed demolition plan to address some 25 additional buildings in dilapidated condition.

MVOC and its Landlord Accountability committee have also begun to explore the importance of code enforcement policies and practices, including enforcing rental property regulations and conducted productive meetings with several city officials regarding these issues.

Sybil West, president of Bennington Block Watch said, “I got involved because of all the blight and to make sure that the east side wasn’t left out. MVOC mobilized a group to see what was possible and we accomplished something that hadn’t been accomplished before. MVOC is giving the power back to the people.”

To become involved or to receive more information, please contact MVOC community organizer Tammy Thomas at 330-743-1196 or email tammy@mvorganizing.org.

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