Macomb, IL – Macomb plans to crack down on dilapidated housing during the coming year.
Mayor Mick Wisslead says city staff will be going over a list of eight houses and planning strategy that will be used to take the owners to court to force a cleanup.
He says some properties have deteriorated to the point that neighbors should not have to tolerate the nearby squalor.
City ordinances allow asking a court to enforce a cleanup.
If that is not done, the city could eventually gain possession of the building and demolish it.
The city has done that in the past with state aid to help pay for the demolition.
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Wisslead says discussion with some property owners has resulted in building permit applications for needed repairs.
He says in one instance a neighbor bought the property, tore down the house and created a green space on West Washington Street.
He says the problem homes have a combination of health and safety violations that call for repair.