YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -  The city is taking new action to address the problem of neighborhood blight.

At a city hall news conference, officials outlined an amended city ordinance that places new responsibility on banks and mortgage lenders to maintain abandoned homes.

It requires a $10,000 bond on foreclosed properties that are vacant.

"That means the city will have access to money to maintain the property but the hopes are that the banks filing foreclosures will take care of the property on their own after people may leave," said Gary Davenport with the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative.

There have been more than 5,000 foreclosures in Youngstown since 2004.

Mayor Chuck Sammarone said the government can't handle the problems by themselves. He said he would like to talk with others to help improve the Youngstown neighborhoods.

Too often, people who receive notice of a pending foreclosure just walk away, then the foreclosure doesn't happen and the abandoned property turns to blight.