Housing Stock/Population Decline

Today's Journal...

Middletown’s population matches see similar declines
Schools’ financial woes, manufacturing job losses blamed; mayor touts rebirth.

MIDDLETOWN — The blueprint for Middletown’s resurgence could be found on the streets of Mishawaka.

As Mishawaka reinvented itself, the city’s population grew to 48,252 by 2010, according to recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau. It was one of a handful of similar-sized Midwest cities — including Greenwood, Ind., and Harrisburg, Pa. — that saw growth in the past decade despite a tough economy.

Meanwhile, steel-mill towns like Middletown and Mansfield — which were walloped by the recession and manufacturing job losses — saw their populations decrease by 5.6 and 3.1 percent, respectively.
Middletown Planning Director Marty Kohler said despite its overall population decline, Census data shows that portions of the city in Warren County grew more than 30 percent in the last decade.

Kohler attributes the declines throughout the rest of the city to an older housing stock, some of which is in foreclosure. The city is now demolishing many of those older homes.

Yeah, that's it Marty, older housing stock. Couldn't be the fact the city has supplied no decent paying jobs, is infested with Section 8 poverty, the schools are performing poorly, there is no community activity to stimulate people to live here. A high tax rate, poor roads, poor economic planning, a government that is anti-citizen/anti-business friendly .etc.

“What’s important is how we meet the future demands of our community,” said City Manager Judy Gilleland. “We’re going through a rebirth in Middletown.”


No Judith, we are not going through a "rebirth". We are going through the slow death of a once proud city with no clue how to make it rebound coming from any city leaders.

What seems to be missing from our city leaders is what will replace those demolished houses. You hear no one concerned with empty lots in the middle of residential streets. Are we going to replace those houses and if we aren't, what wll be done with the properties? This city already has a problem paying to mow the grass. Property owners will eventually not pay to keep the property up and will sell or just let it be foreclosed. Unless the city plans to become owner of a lot of residential lots, they'd better come up with something!!!

TonyB- "Unless the city plans to become owner of a lot of residential lots, they'd better come up with something!!!"

Don't know how many times over the years we citizens have been told that the city does not intend to be in the real estate business. The city owned property in the past, sold it, and is now acquiring more property, primarily on speculation of it being used. Bad start on that theory as two are already "mothballed" and in disrepair.

The theme is to knock down all the old structures, leaving many empty lots.......with no clue what to build on those empty lots and nothing on the horizon pertaining to occupancy. Some game plan.

March 17, 2011
House Votes to Terminate NSP 3 Program

The House yesterday voted to rescind the third round of funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The House passed the NSP Termination Act (H.R. 861) 242-182 with only five Democrats supporting the measure. H.R. 861 is the third of four bills passed by the House to rescind programs that provide funding to address foreclosures and abandoned properties. Last week the House voted to end the Emergency Mortgage Relief Program and the FHA Refinance Program. The House is expected to vote on the fourth bill, the HAMP Termination Act (H.R. 839), the week of March 28^th.

It is unclear what action if any the Senate will take on H.R. 861 or the other termination bills. For questions, contact jbohm@nahro.org or cwatson@nahro.org.

Today's Journal...


Eyesores are blight on the community and city budget
Abandoned, neglected properties also can become health hazards.

MIDDLETOWN — City officials say there are more than 300 “blighted homes” that need to be demolished in Middletown.
Doug Adkins, the city’s director of revitalization, said his department demolishes about 40 to 50 structures a year, and if there were additional funds, that number would be much higher.


For many of those structures — even those with curb appeal — the deteriorated interiors and the excessive cost to rehab them, outweigh the benefits, he said. For instance, why invest $60,000 to remodel a house valued at $50,000, Adkins said.
NOW WAIT A MINUTE ADKINS.......TO INVEST MORE MONEY INTO A REMODEL THAN THE HOUSE IS VALUED AT........DOESN'T THE CITY DO THAT ALL THE TIME WITH HUD HOMES? DOESN'T THE CITY USE FED MONEY TO BUY AND REHAB HOUSES AROUND THE CITY AND SELL THEM AT A LOSS? YOUR STATEMENT ABOVE INDICATES THAT YOU THINK IT IS A BAD IDEA. IF SO, THEN WHY ARE WE DOING IT?

Falling property values in Middletown also can be traced to a supply-demand imbalance, he said
IT CAN ALSO BE TRACED TO THE DESIRABILITY TO LIVE IN A COMMUNITY. WE ALL KNOW THAT THE WAY MIDDLETOWN IS OPERATED BY THE TOWN LEADERS IS A DETRIMENT TO ATTRACTING PEOPLE HERE. WE HAVE SOME GREAT HOME VALUES IN THIS TOWN AND WE STILL CAN'T GET PEOPLE TO LIVE HERE. THIS TOWN HAS THE REPUTATION OF BEING RUN VERY POORLY BY THE CITY GOVERNMENT. YOUR CRONIES DECISIONS HAVE BROUGHT THIS TOWN DOWN.

Ridding Middletown of its eyesores, Adkins said, not only increases property values immediately, but also lowers the supply of housing, which also raises values.
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO RAISE HOME VALUES UNTIL YOU MAKE THIS COMMUNITY A PLACE TO BE DESIRED. RIDDING THE EYESORES CERTAINLY CAN'T HURT, BUT IT AIN'T THE MAIN PROBLEM HERE, IMO. YOU AND YOUR BUDDIES AND THE WAY YOU DO THINGS IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM HERE.