One of the key goals of the Land Bank is to keep foreclosed and abandoned properties out of the hands of unscrupulous flippers. Councilman Mike Polensek says the challenge is particularly difficult in his ward.
Polensek: "I have people in my ward today that have 13, 14, 15, 20 properties that they own and they're not putting money into the home."
Jim Rokakis, County Treasurer and president of the Land Bank's board of directors, says the agency is exercising due diligence to make sure when it disposes of properties no bad actors slip through the cracks and he's looking for help from council members.
Rokakis: "We're going to be cross referencing these prospective buyers. I'm assuming that every member of council here has a list of folks they know who have not performed well."
Ward 14 Councilman Brian Cummins expressed another concern: that in its zeal to demolish the most far gone abandoned properties - some of Cleveland's cherished history could be lost.
Cummins: "There's this other category of other potentially valuable homes that too often I think can slip and get on a demolition list and are gone forever."
Rokakis acknowledged that's a possibility, but he said mothballing grand old homes until someone comes along to restore them would be too expensive.
Rokakis: "The fact that they're being submitted as candidates for demolition does break my heart, but what do you do in the meantime?"
The Council will continue its special hearings on foreclosure and abandonment next Tuesday.
Caitlin Johnson, 90.3