Bipartisan "Blight Bill" would protect neighborhoods from dangerous properties, lawmaker says

State Rep. Adam C. Miller (D-Columbus) today announced the introduction of the Blight Bill, bipartisan legislation to expedite legal action against landlords whose negligence creates a safe haven for illegal activity on their properties. The Blight Bill comes as many Ohio neighborhoods deal with economic decline and Ohio’s ongoing opioid crisis.

“Absentee landlords and bad actors have learned to game the system through long, drawn-out legal proceedings—much to the detriment of nearby law abiding property owners and renters,” said Rep. Miller. “By cracking down on problem properties, the Blight Bill gives communities the tools needed to better combat blight, improve public safety and reclaim neighborhoods across Ohio.”

Under current law, legal proceedings against negligent property owners can take many months. The Blight Bill and creates a new, stricter liability offense to expedite remediation and other court-ordered remedies to address problem owners and properties. 

The Blight Bill is awaiting a bill number and referral to a House committee for initial hearings.