INDIANAPOLIS -- As a candidate, Joe Hogsett promised to get blighted homes torn down. As the mayor of Indianapolis, Hogsett is making that promise a reality.
Hogsett estimates there are 3,200 blighted homes citywide. As of Monday, 99 of them have now come down.
Pastor Ralph Spears, who has called Stain Matthew Lutheran Church home for 27 years, says he's happy to see the city making progress.
"Very happy to see that, yes, because they're derelicts," he said. "There's nobody there. It's dangerous."
The buildings that have already come down were demolished thanks to Hardest Hit funds the city received. Another 14 buildings and 50 more properties should be wiped clean through Department of Business and Neighborhood Services funds. Meanwhile, Renew Indy has 930 properties that could be redeveloped now.
East side developer Patrick Dubach says it's all good progress.
"There are a lot of places that the housing stock is really abandoned and it needs to happen," Dubach said. "I think it will attract new development, so I support that 100 percent."
