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VACANT PROPERTIES Banks balk at attempt by Medford to fight blight Councilor says association has come in 'hot and heavy' on the issue Comment By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted May. 20, 2016 at 5:21 PM Updated May 20, 2016 at 5:42 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted May. 20, 2016 at 5:21 PM Updated May 20, 2016 at 5:42 PM » Social News A proposal to crack down on derelict houses in the city of Medford has met opposition from the Oregon Bankers Association. “It seems to me that whoever is working on this in the Medford city government either totally misread our communication and concern, or is really out to stick it to the lending and real estate industries in that community,” stated Kenneth Sherman, a Salem lawyer representing the Bankers Association, in an email to the city. The Medford City Council had hoped to put more legal teeth into local codes to go after an estimated 436 mostly bank-owned houses that sit vacant, often attracting vagrants and drug users and creating a nuisance for their neighbors. On Thursday, the council tabled action on an ordinance that would have forced owners of blighted properties to fix them up, including allowing only six months to repair boarded-up properties. The new ordinance contains 13 pages of changes and additions to existing codes. Sherman said the city’s proposed definition of the owner of a property is broad and could result in “unintended consequences.” In some cases, the original lender or seller has sold the interest in the loan on a property to a third party, but the original lender, which could be a local bank, is still considered the owner, Sherman said. He said the definition of owner would pick up a wide variety of individuals and lenders who wouldn’t have any interest in the property, including the holders of easements such as an electric utility. Councilor Dick Gordon said this is the first time he can remember when the Bankers Association has weighed in on this issue. “The Oregon Bankers Association has come in hot and heavy telling us there are problems with what the staff is recommending,” he said. “On the other hand, the city is stuck with this property that nobody is taking responsibility for.” The city plans to hold a study session on the issue June 30. Sherman said in the email that other persons who would have an “interest” in the property under the city’s definition might include a person renting a portion of a property that has been partially abandoned or neglected. Individuals who have an option to lease or buy a property, as well as those having a judgment to repay money damages, could also be considered as having an interest, Sherman said. Medford started a registry of abandoned properties in 2009, requiring lenders to notify the city if a house sat vacant for more than 10 days. Fines of up to $250 a day can be levied against owners who refuse to clean up a blighted property. According to Medford's Code Enforcement Division, there have been 1,899 cases of junk accumulation investigated in the city since 2009. The city has issued citations in 294 cases. The cases involved bank-owned and privately owned properties. A recent review of the registry of vacant properties identified 415 that are bank-owned. Code enforcement officials identified 42 properties that are boarded up or considered blighted, of which 21 are on the bank-owned list. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Follow @@reporterdm Posted May. 20, 2016 at 5:21 PM Updated May 20, 2016 at 5:42 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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