Superiority of Remediation Liens: A Cure to the Virus of Blight

Blight in a neighborhood is like a virus that spreads throughout the community. If left unchecked, that virus will destroy the community. In cities like Detroit, the spread of blight has ruined the economy and led to a dramatic plunge in population and the underfunding of city services. Blighted communities have transformed into vast swathes of abandoned properties that attract crime and create hazardous conditions to anyone who dares to remain in them.

Although cities like Detroit have received exceptional media attention due to their overwhelming problems, blight continues to affect Detroit and communities in many states across the United States. There is, however, a cure that can protect cities against blight's spread: an effectively drafted state statute that provides superpriority status to remediation liens.