It is hereby found and determined that there exist within the City of Youngstown premises that by reason of age, obsolescence, dilapidation, deterioration, lack of maintenance or repair or the occurrence of drug offences, prostitution, gambling and other criminal acts which constitute public nuisances at the premises or combination thereof constitute a blight and a nuisance upon the surrounding neighborhood because such premises are fire hazards, health hazards, places of retreat for immoral or criminal purposes or for the breach of the public peace, substantial and unreasonable interferences with the reasonable and lawful use and enjoyment of other premises in the neighborhood, or factors seriously depreciating property values in the area. It is further found that programs aimed at specific elimination of particular blights or nuisances involved in neighborhoods of the City of Youngstown have sometimes proven inadequate or ineffective, have sometimes failed to prevent recurrence of the nuisance or blight, and have sometimes resulted merely in the alteration of the nature or form of the nuisance or blight that previously existed. It is further found that it therefore becomes necessary in order to eliminate nuisance and blight and prevent recurrence of blight on the premises for the City to obtain the title of the blighted premises and to take direct action to remove the blight or provide for its removal by others and to make further provisions for future development, redevelopment or use of the premises in such a way as to prevent any recurrence of blight or nuisance on the premises. It is further found and determined that acquisition of such blighted property by the City in order to eliminate blight or nuisance and to prevent its recurrence constitutes a public purpose.
(Ord. 07-17. Passed 1-17-07.)