ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A project aimed at clearing abandoned homes in a blighted area of south Apopka took down its first targets on Saturday and Channel 9 was there.
People watched as two homes on 17th and 18th streets in Apopka were demolished. The properties have numerous code enforcement violations.
Orange County Commissioner Bryan Nelson has led the initiative to clear out the troubled area, which has been a hot spot for crime in past years.
Nelson said a local demolition company offered to tear down the homes for free. The project is also receiving support from Pleasant View Baptist Church.
Nelson said he took action and got involved in the problem because owners of many of the homes can't afford to clean them up.
"We've got to track them down, get a notarized signature, have to have the power disconnected, we have to have the utilities disconnected. This one had a septic tank, we had to get that filled in," Nelson said.
A neighbor told Eyewitness News he is happy to see the eyesore homes gone. Nelson hopes that eventually new homes will be built on the land.
The goal of the project is to demolish a few homes every few months. The group also plans to re-paint some homes that don't need to be demolished.
WFTV
