Safeguard Properties

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – New York Severe Storms and Flooding

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
July 22, 2023

***LAST UPDATED 8/10/23***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for areas of the state of New York to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding from July 9 – July 10, 2023.  The following areas has been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Clinton
  • Dutchess
  • Essex
  • Franklin
  • Hamilton
  • Ontario
  • Orange
  • Putnam
  • Rockland

 

New York Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4723-NY)

Map of Affected Areas

List of Affected Zip Codes

 

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Minnesota Severe Storms and Flooding

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
July 19, 2023

***LAST UPDATED 9/12/23***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for areas of the state of Minnesota to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding from April 11 – April 30, 2023.  The following areas has been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Aitkin
  • Big Stone
  • Carlton
  • Chippewa
  • Clay
  • Grant
  • Houston
  • Kittson
  • Lac qui Parle
  • Lake of the Woods
  • Mahnomen
  • Marshall
  • Mille Lacs
  • Morrison
  • Norman
  • Pine
  • Pope
  • Prairie Island Community (Indian Reservation)
  • Renville
  • Roseau
  • St. Louis
  • Stevens
  • Swift
  • Traverse
  • Wabasha
  • Wilkin

 

Minnesota Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4722-MN)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Minnesota

Map of Affected Areas

List of Affected Zip Codes

 

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Oklahoma Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
July 19, 2023

***LAST UPDATED 9/12/23***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for areas of the state of Oklahoma to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from June 14 – June 18, 2023.  The following areas has been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Atoka
  • Beaver
  • Choctaw
  • Cimarron
  • Comanche
  • Cotton
  • Craig
  • Creek
  • Delaware
  • Harper
  • Jefferson
  • Love
  • Major
  • Mayes
  • McCurtain
  • McIntosh
  • Muskogee
  • Pawnee
  • Payne
  • Pushmataha
  • Rogers
  • Stephens
  • Tulsa
  • Wagoner
  • Woodward

 

Oklahoma Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes (DR-4721-OK)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Oklahoma

Map of Affected Area

List of Affected Zip Codes

 

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

Park Forest and South Suburban Land Bank Working to Address Abandoned Homes

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
July 16, 2023

Source: enewspf.com

To reduce the number of abandoned homes, this year, the Village of Park Forest added 31 houses to the South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority (SSLBDA) inventory. The Land Bank has 33 Park Forest houses and one vacant parcel of land in its inventory. Of the approximately 30 communities associated with the SSLBDA, Park Forest has, by far, the greatest number of Land Bank houses available for purchase.

The goal is to have these abandoned and dilapidated homes restored, occupied, and returned to the village tax rolls.

Village of Park Forest Planner Andrew Brown is hopeful that, by the end of the year, over 50 properties will be back on the tax rolls through this process. “Theoretically, if these houses all had a $5,000 property tax bill, we could be talking about $250,000 in taxes on homes that were not generating any taxes previously. This could help alleviate property tax burdens on other property taxpayers in the community.”

After the village identifies a vacant and dilapidated property, it performs due diligence. The goal here is to determine its potential as a legally declared abandoned home.

The state abandonment criteria have three components:

  • The property is two years in arrears in property taxes and/or water bills;
  • It is unoccupied by the person legally in possession of the property;
  • Or it impairs public health, safety, or welfare.

If the investigation reveals the property meets the criteria, the village works with the SSLBDA legal team to secure the deed.

A recent change in state law allows the court to issue the deed directly to the Land Bank. Before, the court issued the deed first to the village. The new process expedites the sales process. Once secured by the Land Bank, all delinquent property taxes are absolved.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baltimore’s Vacant Home Crisis: Committee Plans on Obtaining Billions to Combat Issue

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
July 16, 2023

Source: CBS News Baltimore

A new initiative will bring together Baltimore leaders and faith organizations to help combat the city’s vacant home crisis.

WJZ has been covering this issue extensively for years.

The announcement of the partnership was made Sunday in a packed church in East Baltimore.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is partnering with organizations to build a steering committee together with a goal to get $7.5 billion to invest in vacant properties in Baltimore.

Currently, there are more than 14,000 vacant homes in Baltimore.

The crisis hit a major breaking point in January of 2022 when three city firefighters died while battling a fire at a vacant row home on Stricker Street.

“Baltimore, It’s time. In fact, it’s past time for us to come together to tackle this issue,” Mayor Scott said.

Mayor Scott joined The Greater Baltimore Committee, a non-profit focused on improving the region’s business climate, and BUILD, an inter-faith development group.

Together, they pledged to work together to reduce the number of vacant homes in Baltimore City.

“One person can’t do it. One entity can’t do it. One organization can’t do it” said Pastor Brent Brown, from BUILD, which stands for Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development. “One politician can’t do it. It’s going to take community.”

BUILD conducted a study that found it will take a $7.5 billion investment to solve the problem, with $5 billion of that coming from private investors.

Brown said having the faith community a part of this effort is key to getting the job done.

“The power of the church encompasses community,” Brown said. “It encompasses people from all walks of life that are affected in some way, shape, or form by this issue of vacant homes.”

Now that this new partnership has been formed, the group’s next step is to come up with an implementation plan and get lawmakers on board during the next legislative session.

A real estate broker who attended Sunday’s announcement said addressing the vacant home crisis will open many doors for everyone in Baltimore.

“It will allow us as real estate professionals an opportunity to get in front of individuals and show them the best that Baltimore has to offer,” said Hope Mims, from Mims Realty Group.

The group hopes to have their implementation plan complete by this Fall.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

US House Proposal Would Send $7.9M to Mid-Michigan Blight, Parks, Transit Projects

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
July 17, 2023

Source: mlive.com

A U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee recently advanced $7.9 million for seven public service-centric projects based in mid-Michigan.

The proposed investments would fund blight elimination efforts, influence housing availability, broaden access to public parks, and impact transit services across Bay, Genesee, Midland and Saginaw counties, officials said.

The funding is far from a certainty, however, as legislative compromises could alter the proposals before they land in the White House for the president’s consideration.

All seven mid-Michigan-based proposals were submitted by U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint Township) as part of the 2024 budget for the House Appropriations Committee-based Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Kildee said in a statement.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foreclosure Activity in First Half of 2023 Ticks Upwards Toward Pre-Covid Levels

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
July 13, 2023

Source: attomdata.com

ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its Midyear 2023 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows there were a total of 185,580 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings — default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions — in the first six months of 2023. That figure is up 13 percent from the same time period a year ago and up 185 percent from the same time period two years ago.

“Similar to the first half of 2022, foreclosure activity across the United States maintained its upward trajectory, gradually approaching pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2023,” stated Rob Barber, CEO for ATTOM. “Although overall foreclosure activity remains below historical norms, the notable surge in foreclosure starts indicates that we may continue to see a rise in foreclosure activity in the coming years.”

States that saw the greatest increase in foreclosure activity compared to a year ago in the first half of 2023 included Maryland (up 100 percent); Oregon (up 99 percent); Alaska (up 95 percent); West Virginia (up 83 percent); and Arkansas (up 72 percent).

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Vermont Severe Storms and Flooding

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
July 14, 2023

***LAST UPDATED 8/1/23***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for areas of the state of Vermont to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding beginning July 7, 2023 and continuing.  The following areas has been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Caledonia
  • Chittenden
  • Lamoille
  • Orange
  • Orleans
  • Rutland
  • Washington
  • Windham
  • Windsor

Public Assistance:

  • Addison
  • Bennington
  • Caledonia
  • Chittenden
  • Essex
  • Franklin
  • Grand Isle
  • Lamoille
  • Orange
  • Orleans
  • Rutland
  • Washington
  • Windham
  • Windsor

 

Vermont Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4720-VT)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Vermont

Map of Affected Areas

List of Affected Zip Codes

 

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

Marietta Committee Discusses Legislation that Could Prevent Blight

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
July 12, 2023

Source: wtap.com

Blight has been a major topic of conversation in Marietta. The city’s Planning, Zoning, Annexation, and Housing Committee is developing legislation its chair believes could help prevent it.

WTAP spoke with Geoff Schenkel, the chair who’s spearheading the legislation, to take a deeper look.

Vacant properties left to deteriorate have a deeper effect on the community than being an eyesore.

“When they sit vacant, it becomes an easy place for people to hide – hide because you’re trying to do a drug deal or hide because you need a place out of easy viewing to go shoot up. It’s also a place where child predators can pull a child aside…,” he explained, adding that it can also be a fire hazard. People can accidentally set fire to a building in an attempt to stay warm in the dead of winter. That fire can then spread to neighboring homes.

It’s something Schenkel hopes to prevent with new zoning legislation.

“The zoning we were discussing tonight increases the likelihood that a building will be returned to productive use….put to use sooner and sit vacant less,” he said, adding that speeding up that process also prevents blight.

The legislation would create zoning for interior enclosed self-storage. Due to a lack of zoning, Schenkel says this currently isn’t allowed.

Think about the buildings you drive by that house multiple storage units. Now think about those storage units inside a building. That’s what it is.

Schenkel said it would prevent large corporate buildings from becoming blighted.

“They’re designed so much for their particular use – like a Lowe’s or a Walmart that it’s not easily adaptively reused into other things so self storage becomes a good option,” he explained.

Officials also discussed specifying the legislation towards climate-controlled storage. Schenkel explained that it’s the selling point of why people use interior storage units rather than exterior storage units.

There are multiple steps ahead as the legislation has not yet been presented to city council. Officials plan to bring it to the next city council meeting so that they can make a motion to move it into the planning commission’s hand.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Hartford’s North End, from Blight to Beautiful

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
July 7, 2023

Source: fox61.com

The wood-frame house at 78 Martin Street in Hartford is more than a century old.

Now it has been totally renovated and what was once an eyesore is now ready for a family to move in. The house was re-done by the upstart non-profit called the Hartford Land Bank, a group that takes blighted properties and makes them over for the benefit of the neighborhood and homeowners-to-be.

Yahaira Escribano, the finance and programs officer at Hartford Land Bank said, “Our role and our mission is to acquire blighted and abandoned properties from the city of Hartford – revitalize them and bring them back to life and (this house) is a prime example of that.”

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom blue slate-painted house that sits on just under a quarter acre on Martin Street has an asking price of around $200,000.

Aruanan Arulampalam, the CEO of the Hartford Land Bank and candidate for mayor in this fall’s election, said, “we need a lot more of this, Hartford has the lowest homeownership rate in the entire state of Connecticut, we have a 24 percent homeownership rate.” He then added, “This is all redone, it’s a beautiful home.”

There are plans in the pipeline for Hartford Land Bank to renovate around 10 more homes in Hartford neighborhoods. Escribano said, “our community members deserve this, nothing less than this, so we are very excited to replicate this throughout the entire Northeast Neighborhood and all over Hartford.”

For full report, please click the source link above.