It won’t be long before more unsafe, unsightly houses are torn down in New Castle as part of the ongoing Blight Elimination Program (BEP).
The New Castle Board of Works met Monday and voted unanimously to accept the low bid from Neal’s Scrap Metal to tear down 10 dilapidated houses at a total cost of $68,500. They are located at 135 Columbia Ave., 325 N. 29th St., 908 S. 17th St., 923/925 S. 15th St., 1204 S. 20th St., 1212 S. 20th St., 1325 J Ave., 1815 A Ave. and 2830 C Ave.
Ed Hill, the city’s GIS and MS4 coordinator who is overseeing the BEP effort, said the 10 houses soon to be razed will bring the total number of houses torn down to 42.

DECKER — Two years ago, officials here got some stellar news: the state had awarded the town $230,000 to raze as many as a dozen dilapidated houses.

RICHMOND, Ind. — With more than 140 dilapidated houses already demolished, city officials have another 41 they hope will come down before the Blight Elimination Program ends this year.
City Planner Sarah Mitchell said work to tear down 17 houses will begin soon with another 14 about to be put out for bids. The city is going through the process to acquire another five houses, with three of those set to close Wednesday.

KOKOMO – City officials on Monday announced a program that will include the construction of new single-family, market-rate homes on vacant and underutilized lots in Kokomo neighborhoods.
The neighborhood urban infill program, as described in a city press release, will kick off this week when the Kokomo Community Development Corp. puts the first two homes, planned for the near west side on West Taylor and West Jefferson streets, out for bid.

Columbus has identified four additional homes to be torn down this year under the city’s blight-elimination program.
The four homes targeted for demolition are at 834 Werner St., 705 Werner St., 824 Eighth St. and 1313 Ninth St.
The city is working with three of the property owners to obtain documentation needed in order to transfer the deed on the parcels to the Southern Indiana Housing and Community Development Corp., said Robin Hilber, community development programs coordinator.