News
Washington County Plan To Demolish Rundown Houses
By: Rose Troyer
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A community action committee in Washington County is currently in the process of getting consent from homeowners to demolish their homes.
It's part of a project to reduce the number of rundown homes in the area.
Director of Planning and Development for the Washington-Morgan Community Action Dawn Rauch says they have received suggested properties from local government officials.
Rauch also says that there are certain guidelines for a house to meet before it will qualify for demolition.
"It needs to be a vacant, residential property that is blighted or dilapidated," said Rauch.
Washington County recently received more than $150,000 in grant money from the Ohio Attorney General's Office for the project.
Rauch says that once consent is given the next step is to do title work and asbestos inspections.
Rauch says improving safety is one of the goals of the project.
"The purpose of the grant is to stabilize the neighborhood by doing that. What they're wanting to do is get rid of blighted properties in order to boost the property values of the neighboring homes," said Rauch.
Rauch says this is a one year grant for Washington County and demolition is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.