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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Government urges owners of older Hondas, Acuras to get air bags fixed ... Suicide rates highest in farmers, lumberjacks, fishermen ... Muralist paints colorful entrance to Ashland's Calle Guanajuato ... Government urges owners of older Hondas, Acuras to get air bags fixed ... Suicide rates highest in farmers, lumberjacks, fishermen ... Muralist paints colorful entrance to Ashland's Calle Guanajuato ... OUR VIEW Our View: No more delay on derelict properties Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News It was good to hear a local banker say his industry supports the city's efforts to clean up abandoned houses that are blighting neighborhoods, but the City Council should not be dissuaded from getting tough with negligent banks over concerns about how a proposed ordinance defines "ownership." Ken Trautman, CEO of People's Bank and a former chairman of the Oregon Banking Association, told the council that local banks would support an ordinance to deal with abandoned properties, and want that ordinance to have real teeth. But Trautman also urged councilors to be careful lest the ordinance target people who aren't actually owners. The council wants to crack down on 436 mostly bank-owned vacant properties, which act as a magnet for vagrants, drug users and vandals and become a nuisance in residential neighborhoods. Councilors delayed giving the city attorney's office direction on the ordinance until they had a chance to meet with a local banking representative. Trautman noted that his bank doesn't have any foreclosures on its books, but that it sells most of the loans it originates to other lenders. If the bank makes $2,000 for selling a loan, a $5,000 fine from the city for an abandoned house would be unfair. Of course it would. But if his bank can demonstrate that it doesn't own the property, where is the problem? His bank also presumably could help the city track down the national bank that does own the problem house. In any case, a $5,000 fine isn't going to get the attention of a national bank that is making more money collecting mortgage insurance payments on a house than it would by selling it. A state law allowing the city to take possession of derelict properties is more likely to get results. No one wants to see the city punish anyone who doesn't own a problem property. But no one — especially not the neighbors of these zombie houses — wants to see any more delay over this issue either. The city should enact an ordinance that contains reasonable protections for people with an interest in but no ownership of a problem property, and get busy tracking down the banks who are shirking their responsibility for these houses. If it takes the threat of losing the properties to get the banks to pay to clean them up, so be it. It's not like they don't have any money. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 12:01 AM » 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... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501