Vermilion Advantage CEO Mike Marron is scheduled to speak before the Vermilion County Board Tuesday evening (February 11th) about a new matching program to help Vermilion County communities be able to tear down tax delinquent, blighted housing. Marron says the idea is in its infancy; and a work in progress.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: Basically, we’re taking the tax delinquent properties; taking ownership of those on behalf of the taxing districts. And so, we are discussing, with the County Board, the potential of putting together a demolition program; for basically blighted housing is what it would be. A matching program to help some of the communities around the county, if they were going to demo blighted properties, that we would match them dollar for dollar.
Marron says that while Danville may have the capital to handle substantial demolitions of blighted properties, other Vermilion County communities could certainly use some help. Marron also says this would not be intended to replace what the Central Illinois Land Bank Authority does, but to compliment it instead.
Audio PlayerAUDIO: I think every community has houses that have been left vacant, or need some attention; as Danville has access to resources that maybe some of the smaller communities don’t have. You know, we’re not exactly sure what this is going to look like; the end program and what we’re going to focus on. But, definitely, all that’s going to be taken into accounty.
Tuesday evening’s Vermilion County Board meeting, in the Joseph G. Cannon County Administration Building, will begin at 6 PM.
