Demolition of dilapidated structures continues to be a priority by the Guthrie City Council and another structure came down on Tuesday.
This dilapidated structure came down on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Mel Morgan.
A bulldozer was in the 400 block of North Division taking down the latest structure.
In 2011, the City Code Enforcement office took inventory of the dilapidated structures around town and came up with a list of over 50 properties that need to be addressed. The properties were given rankings of 1-5, with 5 being the worst.
Last year, the city was successful in getting eight properties torn down. This year, they are planning for 10 total structures to be taken down.
It is estimated to cost $5,000 to demolish each home. The city says there are programs and organizations in town to help owners who don’t have the money to remove the torn down homes.
Do the organizations require transfer of the property? Please tell us who these agencies are? where do they get their funding? and what are their motives?
The problem here is that many of these houses are in undesirable locations. The city typically puts a lien on them for the price of the demolition and then the property sits unused and unmowed for the next 20 years as the price of the lien exceeds the value of the property. NOT a long term solution in any manner? Also, check to see who owns many of the grown up lots. Weathy people who are never asked to take care of them. Others are owned by the city.
The city should be used as interested in finding us a source of water besides the Cottonwood Creek and in finding tentants for the more than half of the downtown buildings that are currently empty.