Lorain resident Carmen Ortiz was happy when the city demolished a vacant house next door leaving a green space behind.
Now, she wants a blighted house on the other side of her home also torn down.
Ortiz said the house on East 30th is in disrepair and she suspects it’s used by drug dealers.
Ortiz said it’s not safe for kids in the neighborhood.
“We can’t continue like this, it’s too bad for the kids, we’ve got to get them demolished,” Ortiz said.
The city was aggressively tearing down blighted homes until funds were used up.
But now, Lorain was awarded a state grant for nearly one and a half million dollars to clear away dozens of abandoned homes.
Lorain City Councilman Angel Arroyo said the abandoned homes hurt property values, and he gets complaints from residents.
Now that more vacant homes will be torn down he said residents are thankful.
“A lot of neighbors that lived here for a long time, they’re grateful, because they know it’s a nuisance that’s being removed next to them,” Arroyo said.
The city plans to tear down one house every two days between now and December.
Lorain County also got a grant to tear down vacant houses.
By the time those two grants are used, more than 500 vacant homes will have been demolished and cleared away in Lorain County.
