Up to $10,000 offered for vacant Franklin properties

Five vacant properties in Franklin are set to be sold, and another two could join the list.

The homes and empty pieces of land have been vacant and considered eyesores by the city for years. But a nonprofit agency has multiple bids to buy the properties and is considering which offers they like best.

The overall goal is to get the properties fixed up so the city no longer has to maintain them, and owned by someone who is paying taxes.

All five properties, which include three homes and two vacant lots, had gone to the county’s tax sale because they had more than a year-and-a-half of unpaid property taxes. But the Franklin Development Corp., a nonprofit created and funded by the city, worked with the county to forgive the unpaid taxes and late fees and give the properties to the nonprofit.

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This week, the nonprofit accepted proposals for the properties, with bids ranging from as low as $200 for one of the vacant lots to more than $10,000 for the homes. A committee will now consider each bid to decide which, if any of them, should be approved.

Price is not the only factor being considered, board members said.

The group will consider multiple factors, including how the property will be used, the bidder’s experience in restoration, the proposed budget and timeline for the project, how the work would be funded and the price proposed to buy the property, said Kim Minton, Franklin Development Corp. board member.

Board members want to know who will be living on the property, if there is a home, and if they are planning to restore or demolish it, Minton said.

And now, board members are considering two more properties, both vacant homes along Jefferson Street deemed eyesores by the city. Both recently were listed at the county’s tax sale and did not sell, so officials want to look into working with the county to get them, Minton said. Other properties the group had considered sold at tax sale.

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Here is a look at the vacant homes and properties owned by the Franklin Development Corp. or that the nonprofit is looking to get:

Owned

244 Cincinnati St., vacant lot

934 Johnson Ave., vacant lot

348 Kentucky St., home

551 W. Madison St., home

544 W. Jefferson St., home

Considering

420 W. Jefferson St., home

847 E. Jefferson St., home

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