Alabama councilors complain that legal process takes too long to demolish blighted properties.
City council members in Mobile, Aalabama are frustrated with new rules that make it more difficult to destroy blighted houses. For years, the city has demolished or repaired structures that are considered uninhabitable and a threat to public safety. But officials put the program on hiatus last year after a federal court ruling called into question whether the city was following the correct legal guidelines.
The new process is lengthier, which has upset City Councilman Fred Richardson. In a statement that will be welcomed by local demolition companies, he said the city needs to be more aggressive in dealing with blighted properties. “It’s taking too long,” Richardson said. “I’ve had some that have been up there for more than three years.”
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