Lyon County commissioners will sign an action plan for to pursue involvement in the Lyon County Neighborhood Stabilization Program Action Plan following a 3-0 vote during Thursday’s action session.
Sam Seeley, Lyon County flood plain manager and zoning director, told commissioners earlier this month that HUD’s new Neighborhood Stabilization Program could help out the county. According to HUD’s Web site, the program “will provide emergency assistance to state and local governments to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties that otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight within their communities.”
Seeley said the Kansas Department of Commerce, Rural Development Division in partnership with the Kansas Housing Resource Corporation, Home Division, will implement the program on a state level.
Seeley said Thursday morning that the action plan needed to be turned in by May 1 if the counted wanted to continue with the program. Seeley said the acting plan is non-binding and the county can still back out if needed.
“It doesn’t commit us but it does show that we are willing to commit,” Seeley said. “If something doesn’t work out we can say no...”
Seeley said the money for the program will have to go to the county level first before it can be dispersed. Lyon County is not looking at a lot of properties to be purchased and rehabilitated because there isn’t a lot of money for the county.
“...It’s just to keep the properties from being blighted or going downhill,” he said. “Why not put them into the hands of somebody who wants a home?”
create (anonymous) says...
Then there are those like my new "neighbor" who bought a lovely, newly refurbished bungalow and promptly turned it into a giant rat's nest. What can you do? Nada!
April 30, 2009 at 1:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Weltha (anonymous) says...
I agree create. You can only do so much when people just don't care about or have any respect for themselves or anyone elses hard work. What do they say? "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." Same goes here.
April 30, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dale011 (anonymous) says...
How will you be able to tell which homes are abandoned in Emporia where we clearly have no building codes enforced. Half the town looks abandoned and run down. But with that said, the price of homes here are about twice what they should be, and then they need $30 grand worth of work to make them liveable. I have never seen a town this poorly maintained and I have lived in many small southern rural towns. Go Ahead and start buying them up, I'm sure the slum lords will gladly take your (our tax dollars) money.
April 30, 2009 at 3:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )