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In 2010, the city of Philadelphia commissioned a survey on blight and its effects on the community, and this survey produced some very disturbing information. It found that household wealth decreased by $3.6 billion as a result of the blight, with home values dropping by 6.5 percent across the city. Some neighborhoods saw property values decrease by 20 percent, and this accounts for an average household loss of $8,000 citywide. ProChamps recognizes the serious consequences of blight in communities and employs aggressive strategies in league with local governments and various partnering agencies to promote property registration and multiple points of contact for a property."Every household in the country needs to be concerned about vacant properties and those in default, as they affect the entire community. With the help of property registration services, finding the owner of a property becomes a less complicated task. Many people complain that this is a time consuming process, yet with our web-based communications platform allowing for property registration online, direct communication with property managers becomes easier," David Mulberry, spokesperson for ProChamps, explains.
Maintenance costs for a community rise when vacant properties are present. Although government officials only have control over a small percentage of the parcels, they must maintain all. This is done through pest control, police and fire services and the clean up of waste. As a result, residents pay more in taxes to provide these services, and the community isn't receiving any money back for doing so.
"Individuals often focus on the property value aspect of blight, but the problem goes much deeper. A vacant home can become a haven for unwanted creatures in a neighborhood or can pose a fire risk. Although the fire may resolve the problem of the vacant property, if it spreads, nearby homes may be impacted, and this can be devastating for those living in the neighboring homes. Property owners need to take this into account when discussing how to address blight in their community," Mulberry continues.
Another problem seen with vacant properties and those in default involves unpaid property taxes. In Philadelphia, unpaid property taxes accounted for $70 million dollars owed to the city and to the school district. Experts believe this number increases by $2 million each year, and this is money that could be used to address the problem of blight and make improvements to the city.
"ProChamps holds multiple parties responsible for registering property, with each property being expected to have more than one point of contact with a real person. The program is revenue positive, as the community bears none of the costs. The shared registration fees ensure this is the case. Furthermore, each community receives a team of dedicated professionals, individuals committed to assuring results. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help improve your community by reducing the problem of blight," Mulberry recommends.
About ProChamps:
ProChamps offers sound public policy to deal with neighborhood blight.
Contact Info:
Name: David Mulberry
Email: Send Email
Organization: ProChamps
Address: 2725 Center Place Melbourne, FL 32940
Phone: 321.405.2633
Website: http://prochamps.com/
Release ID: 171664
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