DETROIT – When Detroit began the program to demolish abandoned homes, many Michiganders questioned how much it would cut crime.
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Residents of Detroit have been thrilled to see the blight in the city get knocked down and they claim there's an immediate impact.
Officials with the city of Detroit said that the demolition of homes would lower crime rates and the University of Michigan and Harvard agree.
A new study shows an 11 percent drop in homicides and serious injuries caused by firearms in the areas where demolitions took place. The analysis was led by Jonathan Jay, a scholar with the Firearm Safety Among Children and Teens coalition based at the University of Michigan.
Brian Farkas leads the city's demolition project. He said an 11 percent drop is good, but they want better numbers.
On Friday, Farkas met with community leaders who helped identify abandoned homes before they attract crime.
Detroit city officials said nearly 19,000 homes have been demolished and the city is on track to demolish another 17,000 in the next five years.
For more information, visit the University of Michigan's official website for the study here.