The City of Peoria is $100,000 over budget for demolishing abandoned structures this year. Emergency demolitions are one reason behind the expense:
The city had to raze 11 structures due to recent storm-water hitting vacant buildings that lack gutters and damaging foundations. That’s according to Assistant Community Development Director Joe Dulin. He says the city has spent $750,000 so far this year to demolish about 75 vacant properties:
“We’re seeing more and more properties get abandoned, banks walking away, they’re getting foreclosed on, the owners become deceased and no one wants to claim the properties, so we’re seeing quite a bit of abandoned properties in the older parts of town.”
Dulin says any additional emergency demolitions will take place despite the lack of budgeted funds. To that end, he says the city has pursued alternative grant funding to help pay for demolishing abandoned or vacant properties.