Land Bank Legislation Passes House after Lobby Day

MVOC vacant properties campaign continues

Nearly two hundred community leaders from Toledo, Columbus, Cleveland, Youngstown, Warren, Cincinnati, East Cleveland, and Dayton descended on the state capital in early December to push around four key state legislative issues: foreclosure prevention and mediation, land bank reform and expansion, public benefits transparency, and criminal justice reform.

“This was another key step in our vacant property organizing campaign,” said MVOC Executive Director Kirk Noden. “Together with our statewide partners we conducted 70 legislative visits and moved the ball forward on land bank reform and foreclosure prevention.”

A key focus of the lobby day was on pending land bank legislation that would expand the current state statute to allow Trumbull and Mahoning Counties to form land banks that would provide an important tool for local governments to use in addressing the growing number of vacant and abandoned properties. These changes to the land bank statute would allow more counties to strategically acquire properties, develop creative ways to use those properties, reduce blight, increase property values, support community goals and improve the quality of life for residents.

The day after the lobby day, the legislation, House Bill 313 passed the House and is now awaiting action in the Senate.

MVOC leaders also said the event was critical to solidifying the Ohio Organizing Collaborative (OOC) which includes faith, community and labor partners from across the state.

“The only way to solve many of the problems that Youngstown and Warren face is to have statewide power,” said MVOC chairperson and President of the Ohio Baptist State Convention Pastor Michael Harrison. “The lobby day was yet another successful event put together by the OOC that brings us closer to our statewide allies such UFCW 75, AMOS, and ESOP.”

Attorney General Rich Cordray and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner both attended the lobby day to endorse and support MVOC and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative's work. “Your being here in the state capital is critical,” said Cordray who has worked hard on the foreclosure issue since being elected.

“We have to keep working together to address the foreclosure crisis,” Cordray said to a capacity crowd. Cordray’s office has been legally pursuing “rescue fraud” companies attempting to profit off someone who is losing their home and has released funds from a settlement for foreclosure prevention.

As a part of the lobby day, ESOP led 100 OOC leaders to visit Daryl Dever's office, a top lobbyist for the Mortgage Bankers Association and an opponent of key provisions of foreclosure legislation. Community leaders asked Dever to see the light and switch sides and to start lobbying for people losing their homes. “We hear Dever is one of the best lobbyists. It is time he comes to work for us instead of helping the other side throw good people out of their homes,” said ESOP director Mark Seifert.

Other partners at the lobby day included COOHIO, The Kirwan Institute, and The Ohio Justice and Policy Center.

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