An ordinance now before the city council from the Bookeradministration proposes that the city would create a list of suchproperties, utilizing the expertise of city inspectors and otherlocal officials. The ordinance also proposes that the owners ofsuch properties would be required to rehabilitate or redeveloptheir properties or risk confiscation or foreclosure through taxliens. Administration officials say they won't rule out the use ofeminent domain in such cases.

The goal of creating or rehabilitating housing in the city'swards and industrial development around the city's port facilitiesis about both tax revenues and quality of life. "Removing abandonedproperties will upgrade the quality of life for cityresidents,"says a spokesman. "It's about both job creation andneighborhood revitalization."

Mayor Booker's plan also calls for an expedited zoningregulation process for developers who create downtown housing,especially of the affordable variety. Also part of the plan arestreetscape improvements in various neighborhoods, as well as alongportions of Broad and Market streets, the city's busiest commercialstreets. Besides city funding, city officials say they have morethan $10 million in urban empowerment zone money to facilitate thestreetscape improvements.