The Shannondale (née Electrohome, 152 Shanley St) | 8 fl | U/C

[Spokes]

I think the issue with expropriation is that the public entity doing so needs to use the property for a clearly defined public project. My understanding is that a city or other government can't just take over a property, get it cleaned up, and then make it a private property again.

My idea would be that the City would do something with the property itself, essentially acting as a developer.

Heh, I wonder what the neighbourhood reaction would be if the City said “we’re expropriating and cleaning up the property … so that we can build an affordable housing apartment building”.

I think the lack of action says the city doesn't want to act as a developer though.  Much the way they're doing nothing with all of their surface parking lots .