Providence city officials say they have established a tax on vacant and abandoned properties citywide.
Democratic Mayor Jorge Elorza's office made the announcement Monday, saying the non-utilization tax will be applied to owners of properties deemed vacant and abandoned by the Department of Inspection and Standards. The Providence Journal reports Elorza says the tax was established to address the properties that negatively impact quality-of-life for surrounding communities.
The tax was approved by the Providence City Council on Oct. 4 and signed into law on Oct. 9.
The tax rate is set at 10 percent of the real estate's assessed value and will be imposed on buildings that are consistently unoccupied, continuously cited or neglected. The tax won't be imposed on property owned by an abutting neighbor or new owners.
