Dilapidated buildings are unsafe and thwart economic development in areas surrounding them. These unsafe structures threaten public safety, diminish surrounding property values, and create a financial and economic drain on community resources.

Cities have few options available to them to remove dilapidated buildings. When private property owners refuse to take responsibility for their property, it becomes a town's burden to remove a dilapidated building by using scarce taxpayer money. Often, cities are unable to afford to remove dilapidated buildings, prolonging the suffering and decline of surrounding properties.

The Dilapidated Buildings Act provides an opportunity for private and nonprofit businesses to invest in the local economy and create jobs by returning derelict properties to productive use. The Dilapidated Buildings Act protects property rights and saves taxpayer money because the marketplace gets a chance to work in areas of cities that have been neglected.