Activists Demand Y'town Lawmakers Take Action Against Predatory Land Contracts - The Vindicator


Activists demanding the city take efforts to protect residents from predatory land contracts took to Youngstown City Hall Tuesday to demand action.

Members of the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods — including local neighborhood leaders and members of the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. — brought the draft of an ordinance before City Council’s Committee on Community Planning and Economic Development.

Elder Rose Carter, ACTION’s executive director, led a group of more than 30 members and concerned residents to pressure the city to pass legislation to force property owners to obtain a clearance from the city before they rent or lease a property using a land contract.

The legislation would require owners to alert the city to the contract, have the property inspected and earn a certificate of compliance through the department of Property Code Enforcement and Demolition before being cleared for rental.

“We’re not saying land contracts are bad, but we need to make sure that they’re fair,” Carter said. To read the full story from The Vindicator, click here.