Canton tackling more blighted homes, creates demolition assistance program for businesses

CANTON − Canton is taking a more aggressive approach toward tearing down blighted homes and buildings.

City Council on Monday set aside $100,000 for a new demolition assistance program to help business owners demolish run-down structures.

Separately, Mayor William V. Sherer II is asking council to add $500,000 to the city's existing $750,000 demolition budget as part of his forthcoming plan to transform city neighborhoods. Legislation to allocate the funds will go before council members next Monday.

Demolition assistance program to begin next week

Under the demolition assistance program, business owners and developers can apply for financial help to demolish blighted commercial and residential structures related to economic development activity on or around the site.

For example, a company that has purchased the property next to its existing site could receive financial help to demolish the buildings on the new property so it can expand, said Economic Development Director Chris Hardesty.

Approved applicants can be reimbursed up to 50% of the cost, which is capped at $15,000 for a residential demolition and $30,000 for a commercial demolition.

The money will come from the non-income tax revenue of the city’s main operating fund, called the general fund.

Applicants must outline the economic benefits that will occur at the site after demolition. Applicants are responsible for hiring the professionals and contractors for the demolition and for paying the permit fees.

Companies cannot have outstanding liens or judgments or delinquent loan obligations, utility payments, taxes or assessments.

The program will be administered by the Canton Community Improvement Corp., a nonprofit corporation that serves as the city’s economic development arm.

Hardesty said the corporation, which has its own board that includes city officials, isn’t restricted by the same laws as the city, such as bidding requirements and additional approvals for expenditures higher than $25,000.

If the funds are not used by Dec. 31, the board will return the unspent money to the city, according to an administration agreement the board approved last week. The board also agreed to provide quarterly progress reports to the city.

Businesses can begin applying for the funds next week by visiting the city’s website.

Mayor: ‘We need to take an aggressive approach’

Sherer said removing dilapidated properties is important to the revitalization of city neighborhoods.

“You can have one bad house that brings the whole block down,” Sherer said. “We need to take an aggressive approach.”

The city typically sets aside $750,000 for demolitions a year, with $250,000 from the building and code enforcement department and $500,000 from the general fund.  The additional funds would come from the general fund.

Sherer believes the city could demolish nearly 40 more structures with the additional funds.

J.R. Rinaldi, chief of staff for the city Building Department, said the city typically spends between $13,000 and $15,000 to demolish a building, remove the trees and clean the property. He said the price increases if asbestos must be removed from the structure. Those costs are assessed to the property.

The city has demolished an average of 60 homes per year since 2020.

Rinaldi already has a long list of blighted properties for the city to tackle with the additional money.

Sherer said he is working with council to create a land reutilization program to put the vacated properties into the hands of homeowners or investors to maintain the property or create new housing.

Reach Canton Repository staff writer Kelli Weir at 330-580-8339 and kelli.weir@cantonrep.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton creates demolition assistance program for businesses