Moed's 2014 legislative efforts to include focus on faster cures for abandoned homes

Press Release

In the second year of his efforts to improve neighborhoods across Indiana, State Rep. Justin Moed (D-Indianapolis) said he will focus on legislative cures to speed up the process of putting abandoned homes into the hands of people interested in rehabilitating the properties as quickly as possible.

"In 2013, I learned that making our neighborhoods better is an idea that has great interest throughout the state, in both rural and urban areas," Moed said. "I am grateful that solution-focused lawmakers like State Sen. James Merritt (R-Indianapolis) were willing to work alongside me to see what could be done to protect our neighborhoods as the backbone of our communities."

Reforms authored by Moed that were enacted in 2013 included the re-establishment of an Urban Homesteading program to help find owners for abandoned housing and passage of a law that deters the theft of catalytic converters and copper HVAC coils by limiting who can sell these metals to scrapyards.

"In 2014, I will be looking at ways to get these blighted properties into the hands of buyers in a more timely fashion, preventing slumlords from buying abandoned houses, and reducing the problems caused by zombie homes: those properties that have been abandoned by their owners, but still not reclaimed by banks," Moed said.

"I realize that these are ambitious goals for a short legislative session, but I also have come to realize that there is an increased awareness of the problems facing our neighborhoods, as well as a renewed willingness to find solutions as quickly as possible, rather than years down the road," the lawmaker continued. "I believe we can get these things done, and I will work with anyone I can to see these reforms become law."

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