The City of Peoria is demolishing a severely-blighted home Monday after years of warnings and concerns from neighbors. The city deemed the home both unlivable and unsafe about six months ago. Officials say Peg Pendell is the homeowner at 3523 North Knoxville and she refused to move after the property was deemed unfit for habitation. Peoria Community Development Director Ross Black says the city got court approval for demolition after trying repeatedly to work with the homeowner for alternatives:
“We’ve used every tool in our toolbox in terms of warnings, assistance, and programs and bringing in third parties that might be able to help out. Ultimately the property owner was unable or unwilling to make the changes that needed to be made to the property,” Black says.
Black says a lien will be placed on the property for demolition costs that could reach $10,000. He says the city demolishes about 50 properties a year, most of them abandoned. Black says this is the first time in recent years the city demolished a home because of unsanitary and structural conditions.