City Commissioners unanimously approved a Community Development Block Grant funding agreement with NeighborWorks Great Falls during their Dec. 2 meeting for the purchase and demolition of a condemned house.
Commissioners approved $50,000 for NWGF to purchase and demolish an abandoned and condemned house at 1118 2nd Ave. S.
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NWGF is purchasing the property for about $30,000 and will use the remaining $20,000 to demolish the structure.
Purchase and demolition is expected to be done within six months of commission approval of the agreement and within a year of demolition, NWGF plans to build a new house on the property to be sold to low to moderate income homebuyers, according to the city.
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The purchase and demolition of the property is eligible for CDBG funding under the blight removal category of the city’s annual action plan.
City staff reviewed the application for eligibility and funding availability, recommending approval.
The house was the subject of citizen code code complaints in 2022 on deferred maintenance and trash around the property, according to city staff. The city code enforcement officer worked with the property owner to bring the property into compliance.The case eventually made it through the city’s seven-step process without compliance and went to the city attorney’s office, according to staff.
