Birmingham mayor says efforts continue to demolish condemned structures, residents glad to hear it
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin provided an update on efforts in reducing the number of blighted houses in the city.
The mayor held a news conference in Smithfield during the demolition of a house gutted by fire.
"Neighborhood revitalization is our top priority," Mayor Woodfin said. "The city is committed to removing blighted structures and enhancing public safety in our communities. City departments coordinate each week to target problem areas to ensure our efforts are effective in creating positive change in our neighborhoods."
For residents like Willie Thomas, this is a positive sign of their commitment.
"This is the key to turning Birmingham around," Thomas said. "We have to re-populate these neighborhoods that are blighted and get people to move back to the city."
Thomas is part of Blight Busters, a group of only 16 whose goal is to bring life back to neighborhoods by cleaning up.
"I love the fact that they're {the city} increasing the energy to attack this," Thomas said.
So far this year, Woodfin said the city has completed 126 demolitions after going through the legal process. It makes nearly 2,500 demolitions since 2018.
It is good news for leaders who said at the news conference that the abandoned properties are magnets for crime.
Of the 104 fires being investigated in Birmingham so far this year, half were in vacant structures.
"Our police department has taken decisive actions to address illegal dumping, drug activity, and fires that surrounding some of the activities that go on at these abandoned structures," BPD Deputy Chief Mauldin said. "We've done that through targeted enforcement as well as operations."
Leaders said the number of demolitions will continue to rise with each demolition costing between $4,000-$7,000. Right now, the city has $1.5 million budgeted for demolitions.
Thomas said he understands it's a tall task, and says he and Blight Busters want to work with the city to help.
"The city, you know, they have a lot to be responsible for," Thomas said. "Just the city right of ways and different things that they're responsible for. The city is not enough. We need more into the neighborhoods, more the little things to help them. And that's what we want to come in."
The overall city budget for neighborhood revitalization is $20 million, and that includes things like street resurfacing, sidewalks and weed abatement.
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