BCT Editorial – 7/26/05

This page was last updated on July 26, 2005.

Blight plight; Editorial; Beaver County Times; July 26, 2005.

This editorial is another example of the Times advocating a program to address a symptom instead of the core problem.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“Beaver County has a housing problem.

“Simply stated, too many communities, especially the older mill towns, have too many houses that have little or no market value. A major reason for this is that they lack the amenities that today’s homebuyers want - multiple bathrooms, attached/integral garages, large closets, up-to-date plumbing and wiring, etc.

“And because the region’s population is not growing, not enough people are moving in to make these houses attractive as starter homes.

“Slum landlords feast on these kind of properties. The end result for a community is a downward spiral in the housing market that is hard to reverse.

“However, the Blight Program for Beaver County, which has its genesis in the office of state Rep. Mike Veon, D-14, West Mayfield, offers a chance to turn things around in three pilot communities - Beaver Falls, Rochester and Midland.

“As Dan Woodske, marketing director of the Beaver Initiative for Growth, explained to Beaver Falls Council last week, the intent of the program is to demolish or repair blighted properties to help make neighborhoods more attractive, safer and valuable.”

[RWC] The editorial failed to note BIG is no more than a political arm of the offices of Rep. Veon and State Sen. Gerald LaValle (D-47).

“The housing situation in Beaver Falls gives some idea of the scope of a problem that is statewide. The city has 120 properties that are in repository, or off the tax rolls, Woodske said. Not included on the list are vacant or dilapidated structures on which taxes are being paid but little or no upkeep is being done.

“These eyesores undermine the value of surrounding properties and discourage responsible homeowners. All it takes is for one or two homes to make the whole block look bad. String enough of these together and the entire community suffers.

“Two major issues that must be addressed are cost and property rights.

“The Blight Program for Beaver County represents a new kind of urban renewal, not via massive projects as were seen in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s but through one piece of property at a time.

“It’s still going to be expensive, but it should turn out to be more cost effective and could better serve the community. These properties could be used for parklets or off-street parking. They also could be offered for free to homeowners who live next door.”

[RWC] The editorial throws “coulds” and “shoulds” around like candy. How can you do that when you don’t know how much the program will cost?

“Property rights are important. However, municipalities must be given the power to be more aggressive in terminating the property rights of owners who do not maintain their properties. Paying taxes on a house that hasn’t been painted in 30 years, has all its windows boarded up and has an overgrown yard isn’t good enough.

“And for those property rights absolutists, we have but one question: What about the property rights of the responsible homeowners who live near these blighted properties? Do they, too, not have rights?

“We hope this pilot program takes off. It’s not too much of an exaggeration to say that the future of entire communities depends on it.”

[RWC] Did you notice the editorial didn’t address the issue of who would pay for this program?