Birmingham City Council set to purchase empty properties
Cllr Peter Griffiths - cabinet member for Housing and Homes
Cabinet is set to approve a£4.633 million package to purchase more privately owned empty properties on 28 June.
The properties across the city have been empty for a considerable period of time and the council is seeking to bring the properties back into use, to provide much needed housing and to remove the negative impact the empty houses are having on the local communities and neighbourhoods.
Cabinet member for Housing and Homes, Cllr Peter Griffiths said: “In the last three years we have brought around 1,000 empty properties back into use.
“We offer home owners advice, guidance and support in bringing their empty properties back into use, but ultimately we can and will compulsorily purchase empty properties where homeowners leave properties empty for a considerable time.
“It is important that we do this to help provide much needed housing for our citizens.
“Empty properties also have a detrimental effect on the surrounding neighbourhoods as they are a magnet for anti-social behaviour.”
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