East Deer plans to tear down more blighted buildings this year than it has in any year before.
Township officials expect to tear down seven deteriorating properties this spring or summer after getting a financial boost from the state.
Commissioners Chairman Tony Taliani announced Thursday that East Deer has received a $100,000 grant to help fight blight. It came from the state Department of Community and Economic Development through the efforts of state Rep. Frank Dermody, D-Oakmont.
Taliani said the grant does not require that the township kick in any money.
He hopes that the $100,000 will be enough to cover the cost of demolishing all seven of the structures.
The township will now do the behind-the-scenes work that will allow it to seek demolition bids.
The properties that have been targeted for demolition are: 329 Crawford Run Road, 915 Freeport Road, 445 Marion St., 532 Marion St., 607-609 Edna St., 121 Murrayhill Road, 454 Bailies Run Road, and 108 Meadow Ave.
Taliani said the township has never undertaken the razing of so many properties at one time.
“This will just about eliminate all the vacant (blighted) properties we have for now,” he said.
Unlike similar properties in other communities, Taliani said these properties have not been vacant and deteriorated for a long time. He said that’s because the township has tried to keep up with them as they transition from occupied to unused properties.
Most were houses owned by older residents who have died, he said.
“Their kids don’t want to have anything to do with them; they don’t want to maintain them; they don’t want to pay the taxes,” Taliani said.
If they had done even a little of that, he said the heirs could have probably sold the properties for $20,000 or $25,000.
“They just walked away,” Taliani said.
Even though this round of demolitions should put the township atop the fight against blight, Taliani is not deceiving himself.
“There always seems to be more popping up,” he said.
