Illinois city donates items from houses struck by landslides

EAST PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois city is donating items to Habitat from Humanity that were salvaged from seven households that were condemned following landslides four years ago.

The East Peoria City Council unanimously approved the donation Tuesday, the Peoria Journal Star reported (http://bit.ly/2qzKPlO ).

Earlier this year, the city used federal grant money to buy the homes, which had been vacant since April 2013. They will be gutted and stripped before being demolish. The properties will then be maintained as greenspace that can't be built on.

Residents were only briefly allowed back into their homes in 2013 after more than 7 inches of rain caused landslides behind their homes. They left behind appliances, cabinets, bathroom vanities and fixtures, which Habitat for Humanity can salvage.

Commissioner Gary Densberger said he believes Habitat for Humanity will make good use of the items.

The local chapter of the charity builds houses with volunteer labor and donated material for low-income families and veterans of the U.S. military.

Shana Severinson Maher, whose home was deemed unsafe following the landslide, supports the idea of giving the property to charity.

"I think that's great news," Maher said. "That's what I was hoping would happen. Regardless of the misery, I'm very happy to hear about the city giving back."

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Information from: Journal Star, http://pjstar.com