State - Detroit City to demolish upward of 3,000 houses $14 million has been earmarked for demolitions

By Corey Williams Associated Press Writer DETROIT (AP) -- About a third of Detroit's estimated 10,000 vacant homes that need to be demolished are slated to be torn down this year as the city attacks blight in its neighborhoods. The only thing preventing more demolitions is lack of funding. Of Detroit's $47-million share of federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds, about $14 million has been earmarked for such demolitions, building officials told a City Council committee Monday. Detroit is facing a budget deficit estimated at more than $300 million and no general fund dollars are planned for demolitions. Between 2,500 and 3,000 houses are on the list to be razed. It costs upward of $10,000 to tear down each single-family home, and all the federal stimulus funding for demolitions is expected to be exhausted this year. "We are not going to get 10,000 structures down this year," said Charles Beckham, group executive in charge of operations for Mayor Dave Bing. Detroit now has a count of how many homes are standing vacant and the conditions the structures are in following the weekend release of a block-by-block analysis of about 343,849 residential parcels. The survey was conducted in August and September. It found 219,511 occupied homes and 33,529 vacant houses. The city hopes to use the study to help with neighborhood revitalization. Detroit has been fighting blight and the growing number of abandoned houses for about four decades as its population continues to drop. Houses left empty become targets for scrap metal hunters, other vandals and arsonists. The city also wants to pass the cost of demolition along to property owners, then use that money to tear down more houses, Buildings and Safety Engineering director Karla Henderson told the council. Detroit can "back-collect" for the last six years and will use collection agencies, if necessary, she said. "From this point forward, when we go in to demolish a building we'll start sending invoices," Henderson said. Published: Wed, Feb 24, 2010

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