During the COVID-19 pandemic it was impossible for the property maintenance division employees to do in person blight sweeps and inspections. Mayor Fouts has always been committed to a clean and safe city which is why he started the blight sweep program when he first got elected Mayor. As we emerge from COVID-19 restrictions, Mayor Fouts had authorized the hiring of an additional 25 property maintenance inspectors to conduct enhanced blight sweeps throughout the city partially using federal authorized COVID relief funds.
The reduction and elimination of blight has always been a priority of my administration. Unfortunately, throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic the City of Warren couldn’t send its property maintenance employees out to conduct sweeps without potentially exposing them to the virus. Now as we’ve emerged from the ravages of the virus, Mayor Fouts had authorized 25 new property maintenance inspectors to conduct enhanced blight sweeps throughout the city to keep Warren safe and clean.
The Mayor’s priority in this effort is not issue tickets or to punish property owners because many of them have suffered in the economic damage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mayor’s priority is only to keep Warren safe and clean, and we will focus wherever possible on assisting struggling property owners while cleaning up blight. Mayor Fouts will attempt to utilize federal COVID-19 relief funds wherever possible to assist in this effort.
Together we keep Warren safe and clean so we can enjoy the bright future after we defeat COVID-19.