By JIMMY LAWTON
North Country Now

OGDENSBURG – City Council agreed Monday to sell 13 properties to the Ogdensburg Land Bank for one dollar.

Mayor Wayne Ashley expressed gratitude for the land bank. He said it is important to get properties back on the tax rolls and commended the city planner and city manager for helping establish the land bank.

City Planner Andrea Smith, who is serving as executive director of the Ogdensburg Land Bank Corporation, said most of the properties are non-conforming, meaning their current or former use and dimensions do not align with their zoning regulations.

The recently formed organization aims to reduce blight in the city by purchasing properties claimed by the city on back taxes and making them more marketable through demolitions and rehabilitations.

The organization was awarded $600,000 in funding and has budgeted $180,000 for demolition and $350,000 for rehabilitation.

Smith said the land bank’s board consists of former city comptroller Phil Cosmo as chairman, Vice Chair Gary Hammond, Secretary Laura Pearson, Treasurer Tom Hannan, Cathy Wade, Marcia LaMay and Doug McDonald.

City Comptroller Timothy Johnson serves as the chief financial officer.

Land banks are public authorities that take over the properties and secure funding to develop, rehabilitate or perform preventative maintenance to keep the properties from deteriorating.

Traditionally such properties are targeted by out-of-area landlords and are susceptible to falling into a cycle of vacancy. This frequently keeps the properties in disrepair.

Ogdensburg has long struggled with a surplus of vacant, abandoned tax delinquent properties and has been working to get city-owned property back on the tax rolls.

However some buildings and lots are particularly hard to market.