GARY — As the crane tore down the back porch of a three-story house on Virginia Street, Gary and state officials cheered the city’s first demolition Tuesday funded by the Indiana’s Hardest Hit Fund Blight Elimination Program.
At least 10,000 houses sit abandoned and derelict across Gary. Though the fund won’t cover all of those demolitions, it will put a significant dent in the problem and hopefully residents will see some positive effects, Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann said.
“By this time next year, we’ll likely see 4,000 abandoned properties come down across the state,” Ellspermann said. “Why this is so important is abandoned buildings depress property values, dissuade residents from making improvements to their properties and harbor criminal activity.”
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