DETROIT – It’s long been a problem for the city, but a new bid could lead to a big step forward.
The city says it plans to take down 2,000 dangerous homes and already several were taken down on Tuesday. The goal remains to work faster than before, all in the name of safer neighborhoods.
Cynthia Boyd has lived here on Chapel Street in Detroit for 62 years, and Tuesday was a good day for her. The vacant house across from her is being torn down – it is no longer dangerous. “It has been empty for 21 years,” Boyd exclaims.
What Boyd is seeing is the latest big push by the Detroit Demolition Department – to tear down 2000 of Detroit’s dangerous houses. Detroit-based contractors like Brian McKinney’s are getting the work – and hiring Detroiters to get the work done.
Demolishing a house means a lot. Leading this ambitious plan is the director of the Detroit Demolition Department – Detroiter Dr. LaJuan Counts.
That plan, taking down 2000 dangerous homes in one year, “we treat it as if it is next door to us and how the city should respond to those structures,” said Counts.
To learn more, watch the video player above.