NEWBERRY, S.C. — The City of Newberry is moving forward with neighborhood revitalization efforts as some vacant homes and buildings are being taken down.
“We're bringing around the necessary changes within our neighborhoods to keep them safe and make sure we are having no unwanted activity in these abandoned homes and buildings across the city,” said Newberry City Council Member Carlon Kinard.
Kinard says it’s all being done through a community block grant, from the federal government.
“Grants are available to municipalities, Within those CBD grants, we are able to identify homes or buildings that have been vacated or abandoned for years," Kinard said. "And we as a city can now make contact with those property owners to bring back a more vital and clean neighborhood in Newberry.”
11 homes have been identified across the town.
"Once those things have taken place, as far as the demolition process and cleaned up, the property is still owned and available to the property owner," Kinard said. "So, whether it's just keeping it a clean parcel and that property owner continuing to maintain the parcel or land, or that property owner has the option to rebuild and put something better there.”
There's no date for when the next set of homes will be taken down.