Ohio Statewide Rule
Ohio Statutory Tools for Blighted Property Abatement
Key Facts
- Definition Statute
- ORC 1.08
- Receivership
- ORC 3767.41
- Land Bank Authority
- ORC 323.65-79
- Lien Priority
- First priority
Summary
Ohio provides counties and municipalities statewide authority to declare blight, expedite tax foreclosure, and abate nuisances under ORC Chapters 1.08, 323, and 3767.
(B)(1)(a) In any civil action to enforce any local building, housing, air pollution, sanitation, health, fire, zoning, or safety code, ordinance, resolution, or regulation applicable to buildings, that is commenced in a court of common pleas, municipal court, housing or environmental division of a municipal court, or county court, or in any civil action for abatement commenced in a court of common pleas, municipal court, housing or environmental division of a municipal court, or county court, by a municipal corporation or township in which the building involved is located, by any neighbor, tenant, or by a nonprofit corporation that is duly organized and has as one of its goals the improvement of housing conditions in the county or municipal corporation in which the building involved is located, if a building is alleged to be a public nuisance, the municipal corporation, township, neighbor, tenant, or nonprofit corporation may apply in its complaint for an injunction or other order as described in division (C)(1) of this section, or for the relief described in division (C)(2) of this section, including, if necessary, the appointment of a receiver as described in divisions (C)(2) and (3) of this section, or for both such an injunction or other order and such relief.
Full Breakdown
ORC 1.08 defines blighted property and blighted area for purposes triggering eminent domain and abatement. ORC Chapter 323 authorizes county land banks (county land reutilization corporations) to acquire tax-delinquent and blighted parcels through expedited foreclosure procedures available statewide. ORC 3767.41 (the spot blight statute) lets municipalities, tenants, or neighbors petition courts to appoint a receiver for buildings constituting a public nuisance, with the receiver authorized to abate, repair, and place a first-priority lien for costs. ORC 715.26 grants cities power to require demolition. These remedies are uniformly available, though municipalities choose how aggressively to apply them.
Violations & Penalties
Receivership liens take priority over most other claims; failure to abate can lead to property loss, demolition recovery liens, and contempt of court for noncompliance with abatement orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies as blighted property in Ohio?
Can neighbors force cleanup of a blighted property?
Sources
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