COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There are thousands of vacant homes around the Columbus area.
A group of activists will soon come together to challenge city, county and state leaders to do something about it.
In low-income and working-class communities, vacant and rotting buildings sit for years with no action.
The vast majority of the 5,000 vacant properties in Columbus are concentrated in those neighborhoods.
A local group called BREAD (Building Responsibility Equality and Dignity) is pushing to get these Central Ohio neighborhoods cleaned up.
NBC 4 gives you the FAST FACTS.
According to BREAD, one in five buildings on the near South Side of Columbus and in the Weinland Park area is vacant.
In the Franklinton and King Lincoln areas, one in six houses are vacant.
Monday, BREAD’s launching a campaign to take on the problem.
They want to see one standard for the whole community.
The organization has developed a list of the 85 "worst of the worst" properties, and they want local leaders to come up with a plan to address these properties within 30 days.
They are calling on joint city and county task force to improve the process for getting rid of vacant properties.
“Homes are being abandoned, a lot of vacant properties in neighborhoods. It’s not just unsightly, but it contributes to crime in different communities,” said BREAD member Rev. Robert Arbogast.
Tonight’s meeting is at 7 p.m. at Vet’s Memorial on West Broad Street and is open to the public.
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