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Franklin council adopts resolution to enable accelerated foreclosure on abandoned properties
Summary
Council adopted a resolution allowing the village to certify abandoned properties for an accelerated county foreclosure process intended to reduce blight timelines by roughly one year; council clarified the certification process and safeguards for owners who may be redeeming properties.
Trustees approved a declaration of accelerated forfeiture for abandoned properties designed to speed certain county tax-foreclosure proceedings when properties meet statutory criteria for abandonment.
Staff said the change does not alter the county's role in foreclosures but allows the village to certify a property as abandoned, which shortens the typical three-year process by about a year for properties that are demonstrably vacant, untended and delinquent in taxes. The resolution does not apply to properties where owners are on payment plans or actively redeeming the property.
Councilors asked about safeguards and notification steps; staff said certified properties would receive a posted notice, mailed notice to the tax-record address and a formal certification process with county coordination. Trustees voted to adopt the resolution after several members said they wanted the village to have a tool to address vacant, seriously blighted properties.
Next steps: Staff will develop an internal process and neighbor-notification practice and bring candidate properties forward individually if and when they meet the statutory standard for abandonment certification.
