Indiana city aims to finish leveling 180 blighted homes

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) - Crews in an eastern Indiana city that began demolishing blighted homes two years ago hope to have leveled more than 180 by year's end.

Richmond city Planner Sarah Mitchell says more than 140 dilapidated houses have been demolished since federal funding got the effort underway in 2015.

She tells the Palladium-Item crews hope to have another 41 blighted homes razed by year's end. The demolitions are largely being financed by $3.34 million in U.S. Treasury Department funds that state officials allocated through Indiana's Blight Elimination Program.

Most of the cleared properties are going to neighbors for use as expanded yards or garages because they're too narrow for new housing.

Those properties not sold to neighbors are going to local nonprofit organizations, such as Good News Habitat for Humanity.

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Information from: Palladium-Item, http://www.pal-item.com