Support to address dilapidated properties
A state grant program designed to put funds toward the demolition of abandoned and dilapidated properties will continue to help some of our local communities.
This past week, an announcement from the Governor’s Office noted the Hancock County Commission, City of Weirton and City of Chester will be receiving a portion of $15.6 million set for distribution through West Virginia’s Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties program.
The program was created by the Legislature in 2021 and overseen by the state Department of Environmental Protection, with an initial funding of $10 million derived from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Wellsburg was among the first communities to receive funding through the program, being awarded approximately $290,000 in 2022. The city has, for years, debated how to address the issues resulting from dilapidated or abandoned structures, and these funds have been an amount of support as those efforts continue.
Of this latest round, Chester will receive $195,000, while Hancock County is set to get $117,000 and Weirton will be provided with $78,000. It’s not a direct allotment, though. The county commission and city councils will first have to use their own funds on a project, and then be reimbursed by the state.
I’m sure these funds will be of assistance to these three recipients, although I’m just as sure the funds will be used faster than many might expect.
There is seldom a month in Weirton, for example, where city council isn’t approving a contract for a demolition, or an asbestos inspection, or a resolution to place a lien of property demolished by the city.
As with much of everything, the costs for such actions also has increased, with demolitions costing several thousand dollars a piece. Weirton has a line item in its budget specificially to address demolition-related costs, and there have been many times in recent years where officials have expressed concern as to whether there would be enough funds available to make it through the city’s fiscal year. In fact, I can recall a couple of occasions where the budgeted funds ran out with three or four months remaining, and the city had to put a freeze on demolitions until the next fiscal year began.
Every community in our area has similar issues. There are properties which have fallen so much into disrepair they present a safety or health hazard to residents. Based on observations sitting through various local governmental meetings, many of these situations are the result of property owners who don’t live in the area, and, therefore, aren’t around to take care of the structures.
Sometimes they are rental properties, but there are several sitting vacant and unused for many years. They are inherited by family members who may have no reason to come back to the Ohio Valley or who may not even be aware they now own the property.
These properties establish a barrier for progress in our communities. They are uninhabitable in most situations, at a time when safe and quality housing is becoming even more important than it has been for many years.
Cities and counties, of course, can’t and shouldn’t just go around tearing down houses just to do it. There has to be a process to show the property no longer serves its purpose as a habitable residence, creates a danger or presents an unhealthy aspect to the surrounding neighborhood.
I’ve watched for more than 20 years as these concerns have been addressed, and there’s still a great deal to do. Thankfully, the state is starting to better recognize these challenges and is offering some support.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @CHowellWDT)