Combating blight in our Combating blight in our neighborhoodsneighborhoods

Issues First Community Summit | Mid-South Peace and Justice Issues First Community Summit | Mid-South Peace and Justice CenterCenter

Overview and PurposeOverview and Purpose

It is the intention of the Issues First campaign to It is the intention of the Issues First campaign to promote a community-wide discussion and promote a community-wide discussion and grassroots political action to curb urban blight as grassroots political action to curb urban blight as well as address related issues in a holistic fashion.well as address related issues in a holistic fashion.

The purpose of this document is to give a snapshot The purpose of this document is to give a snapshot of troubling trends in Memphis and Shelby county of troubling trends in Memphis and Shelby county and highlight the economic, public safety and and highlight the economic, public safety and quality of life costs to the community as a whole.quality of life costs to the community as a whole.

We will also demonstrate the connections between We will also demonstrate the connections between foreclosure, blight, fires and homelessness, that foreclosure, blight, fires and homelessness, that stem from predatory lending practices.stem from predatory lending practices.

Starting pointsStarting points

6000-7000+ 6000-7000+ unsecured vacant unsecured vacant propertiesproperties

13,000+ vacant lots13,000+ vacant lots

3000+ County 3000+ County owned due to owned due to abandonment or abandonment or delinquent taxes. delinquent taxes.

Cleveland & McNeilCleveland & McNeil

Concerns and CostsConcerns and CostsMasks HomelessnessMasks Homelessness

Crime, Illegal dumping.Crime, Illegal dumping.

$3.5 million in vacant fires costs in 2008$3.5 million in vacant fires costs in 2008

Parking garage off JeffersonParking garage off Jefferson

Presentation of fire data Presentation of fire data mapsmaps

2005-20092005-2009

Total vacant firesTotal vacant fires

EMSEMS

SquattingSquatting

Racial breakdownRacial breakdown

13

High Cost of BlightHigh Cost of BlightThe 933 vacant fires The 933 vacant fires from late 2004- 2009 from late 2004- 2009 cost taxpayers $16.3 cost taxpayers $16.3 million dollars million dollars

Majority in low Majority in low income communities income communities of colorof color

Orange MoundOrange Mound

Code and ContextCode and Context

City and County Code City and County Code agencies are responsible agencies are responsible for enforcement of local for enforcement of local property codes.property codes.

Serious problem of Serious problem of organizational overlap and organizational overlap and a lack of information a lack of information sharingsharing

Code and ContextCode and Context933 fires in vacant properties933 fires in vacant properties

694 were in 1-2 family 694 were in 1-2 family residential units. This is residential units. This is overseen by City of Memphis overseen by City of Memphis Code EnforcementCode Enforcement

152 were in Multifamily units 152 were in Multifamily units and were mostly over seen and were mostly over seen by the Fire Dept.by the Fire Dept.

77 were commercial fires and 77 were commercial fires and were mostly over seen by were mostly over seen by County Code EnforcementCounty Code Enforcement

BinghamptonBinghampton

Presentation of Presentation of AccountabilityAccountability

Accountability Matrix and ExplanationAccountability Matrix and Explanation

Code and ContextCode and ContextCauses of Vacant Causes of Vacant

FiresFires

Code and ContextCode and ContextVacant Fires 2005 - 2009Vacant Fires 2005 - 2009

Why did fires decrease in Why did fires decrease in 08?08?

2008 Memphis Community Enhancement began boarding up 2008 Memphis Community Enhancement began boarding up vacant properties.vacant properties.

Other ForcesOther Forces

Cost of board-upCost of board-up

$17,500 $17,500 - cost of a fire- cost of a fire

$600 $600 - cost to board up a home- cost to board up a home

$16,900 $16,900 - potential - potential savings per prevented savings per prevented firefire

The Shadow InventoryThe Shadow Inventory

82,947 foreclosures 82,947 foreclosures notices From 2000-notices From 2000-2009 2009

50+% of notices 50+% of notices resulted in resulted in foreclosure foreclosure

Predatory lending Predatory lending practices in practices in housing.housing.

Shadow InventoryShadow InventoryDefine Shadow Define Shadow InventoryInventory

Underwater walk awayUnderwater walk away

High Class SquattingHigh Class Squatting

Shadow Inventory-contShadow Inventory-cont

Presentation of MapsPresentation of Maps

ApptAppt

StrStr

WdWd

Non Wd Str transactionNon Wd Str transaction

Foreclosure map with RaceForeclosure map with Race

Other points of concernOther points of concern

Federal Tax credit Federal Tax credit endsends

20% to 30% of Shelby 20% to 30% of Shelby County mortgages are County mortgages are “underwater”“underwater”

Unethical in-house Unethical in-house financing practices. financing practices.

Political and Grassroots Political and Grassroots ActionAction

Issues First-People’s AgendaIssues First-People’s Agenda

Code ReformCode Reform

Public PledgePublic Pledge

Political and Grassroots Political and Grassroots ActionAction

TN. Neighborhood TN. Neighborhood Preservation ActPreservation Act

Grassroots Organizing Grassroots Organizing and trainingand training

Political and Grassroots Political and Grassroots ActionAction

Change For Shelby County networkChange For Shelby County network

Communities of concentrationCommunities of concentration

Accountability in governmentAccountability in government

Accountability of Lending InstitutionsAccountability of Lending Institutions

NotesNotes

• Mid-South Peace and Justice CenterMid-South Peace and Justice Center

• 901-725-4990-office. 901-725-7858901-725-4990-office. 901-725-7858

• Email- center@midsouthpeace.orgEmail- center@midsouthpeace.org

For more information, please For more information, please contact: contact:

ContributionsContributions

• Office of the Shelby County Register of DeedsOffice of the Shelby County Register of Deeds

• City of Memphis Department of Fire ServicesCity of Memphis Department of Fire Services

• City of Memphis Department of Fire Services-EMSCity of Memphis Department of Fire Services-EMS

• Shelby County Environmental CourtShelby County Environmental Court

• Memphis Housing and Community DevelopmentMemphis Housing and Community Development

• City of Memphis Division of Community EnhancementCity of Memphis Division of Community Enhancement

• Memphis Daily NewsMemphis Daily News

• Mid-South Peace and Justice Center-internal sourcesMid-South Peace and Justice Center-internal sources

• Commercial AppealCommercial Appeal

Data for this presentation was Data for this presentation was provided by:provided by: