North St. Louis group wants to reclaim vacant properties, fill them with homeowners [View all]

Community leaders in the Baden neighborhood of north St. Louis are going to court to compel absentee homeowners to repair vacant properties or release the houses to people willing to renovate them.

The Revitalization of Baden Association is working with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri to secure the homes from their absent owners. The neighborhood association also is seeking help from carpenters, plumbers and others who specialize in renovations to work with potential buyers or to purchase the homes themselves.

People who live in the Baden neighborhood want to see more homeowners there, said Gloria Gooden, the association's housing and economic development director.

“We have a desire to return the neighborhood back to its original state, which was mostly property owners,” Gooden said. “We're thinking that if you're a property owner, you have more invested in the neighborhood.”

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/economy-business/2022-02-17/north-st-louis-group-wants-to-reclaim-vacant-properties-fill-them-with-homeowners