Governments assist home owners in small ways
Home improvement work is an owner-driven initiative, but government assists homeowners in a variety of ways.
One way local governments assist a homeowner is through tax abatements.
In Conneaut, homeowners can fill out a form, through the Community Reinvestment Area, which can lead to tax exempt possibilities for a homeowner building a house or conducting remodeling work, Conneaut City Manager Nick Sanford said.
'We certainly offer benefits through the citywide Community Reinvestment Area in the form of tax abatements on property reinvestments during the planning phase,' he said.
Sanford said the city would like to get more people involved in the program.
'It was established in 2005 during the Doug Lewis administration and city council at that time, and made effective in the codified ordinances in Chapter 1381,' he said.
Sanford said it is available to all property classes, and is a tremendous reinvestment and economic development tool.
Ashtabula City Manager Jim Timonere said the city offers some tax abatement options for home remodeling.
He said the city encourages people to remodel homes to improve an aging housing stock.
Geneva City Manager Joseph Varckette said the city's comprehensive plan, which is in the early stages of funding and planning, will address quality of housing issues as it develops.
An improvement to property is also funded on a sidewalk reimbursement program, Varckette said. He said information on how the project works is available on the city's website, genevaohio.gov.
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