Number of Cincinnati's abandoned and vacant buildings tops 3,000

The number of abandoned and vacant buildings in the City of Cincinnati has ballooned to over 3,000, a 45 percent jump from just last year.

The 3,067 buildings on the City's list are largely the result of an increase in local foreclosures, speculators buying on the cheap, and stepped up code enforcement through City efforts such as the Neighborhood Enhancement Program.

The attached chart shows a huge spike beginning this May, when the number of derelict buildings hit 1,531, the lowest number since Building Cincinnati began keeping records in June 2005.

Abandoned and vacant building data does not include buildings owned by the City of Cincinnati.

The 2000 Census lists slightly more than 165,000 housing units in the City, but does not break that down into the number of buildings.

* Much of the data between April and June 2007 and between January and September 2008 was not available and was filled in to create a straight line between verified data points.