Blight.

It’s a problem many small towns in the region face.

But some communities in Carbon County are hoping that a law enacted in 2016 may be able to help them fight back against dangerously dilapidated homes.

On Thursday, representatives from Nesquehoning, Lansford, Summit Hill, Jim Thorpe, Lehighton and Palmerton gathered at the county commissioners’ meeting to urge the board to implement Act 152 of 2016. The act adds a $15 fee on all mortgages and deeds recorded with the county recorder of deeds office and would be used to create a fund to demolish beyond repair buildings.

Nesquehoning councilwoman Abbie Guardiani, who served as the group’s spokesperson, spoke about the towns and the issues the face with the growing blight problem in the communities.

“Property blight is a serious and costly problem that affects the quality of life for everyone here in the county,” she said, noting that many homes in these municipalities are between 80 and 100 years old, are side-by-side or half a double. Residents in one side are being forced out because the other half of the structure is falling apart.

One home that was used as an example is a home on Center Avenue in Jim Thorpe, where a family resides in one half, but the other half is rapidly collapsing in on itself. The borough doesn’t have all the funds to demolish it and rebuild the center wall for the other side.

Guardiani said that blight is due to fires, abandonment and owners who just don’t care about the property.

“These properties represent a serious health and safety hazard for the neighbors, for our volunteer fire companies, police departments and the community at large,” she said.

Blighted homes devalue a community and deter good residents and businesses from moving into the area.

She asked the county to look into Act 152, which currently is utilized by 26 counties in the state, including Monroe and Schuylkill, as a way to help the municipalities tear down these structures.

“Establishing a fee of $15 to record a deed or mortgage is not a burden on anyone when you consider the downstream consequences of allowing blighted properties left to stand,” Guardiani said.

The commissioners asked questions about how this would be overseen and how the distribution of funds would be determined.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich asked why can’t the municipalities just increase their moving permits by $15 to then bring in the funds for demolition instead of the county implementing this. Then the money would directly go to that municipality.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that while he is in favor of helping with the problem, he said he feels zoning laws also need to be addressed to help fight the problem. He also suggested increasing citation fees and stopping properties from continuously changing hands and getting worse.

The board pointed out that it received $1 million to help fight blight before it gets to the point where the home needs to be torn down. Guardiani said that was a start, but the money will only go so far before it is completely spent.

Act 152, while it may take a while to generate a significant amount, will be a continuous pot that could be used, she said.

Guardiani suggested that when the fund gets to a certain amount, applications could be accepted and then reviewed.

“You look at which building is absolutely the worst, roofs are collapsing. It’s dangerous, somebody’s going to get hurt. A fireman is going to get killed. Something terrible is going to happen and that’s the one that comes down,” she said, adding that the fund then resets.

Lukasevich asked Guardiani if she would come speak to the Carbon County Council of Governments about the issue and see where the municipal members stand.

The representatives also presented the board with several resolutions their towns passed, photos of problem buildings and Monroe County’s program outline.

Staff members for State Sen. David Argall also spoke about what is being done to help communities and how Schuylkill’s program has been a catalyst to secure larger matching grants.

The commissioners took no formal action on the request, but asked for information on the group’s next meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the Summit Hill borough building.

“We come here looking at you and saying help us, we’re doing our best. Help us,” Guardiani said. “... This is not something a small borough can do on its own. You cannot fight this problem on your own.”