START SOMETIME IN THE FALL. VEGAS AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES ARE AN EYESORE. MANY LOUISVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT MAYOR FISCHER, THE CITY IS MAKING PROGRESS TO ADDRESS ISSUE. WLKY IS JAMIE MAYES EXPLAINS WHAT LEADERS ARE DOING TO IMPROVE AND REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS. ABANDONED PROPERTIES LIKE THIS ONE IN PARK HILL HAVE BEEN SOURCE OF CONCERN FOR NEIGHBORS LIKE KIANA DANIEL. WE ALL KEEP OUR GRASS CUT SHORT, SO. AND THEN IT’S JUST THAT ONE IS JUST ON THE END IT DOESN’T BELONG. DANIEL SAYS VACANT HOMES INCLUDING THIS ONE ON WEST BURNETT’S AVENUE, HAVE BECOME A COMMON SIGHT. I COULDN’T EVEN YOU HOW LONG THOSE HOUSE HAS BEEN VACANT. I KNOW THE MAIN ISSUE WITH THAT IS THAT THE GRASS IS HIGH. MAYOR FISCHER SAYS THIS IS AN ISSUE HIS ADMINISTRATION IS WORKING TO ADDRESS. OF COURSE THEY NOT ONLY LOOK BAD, BUT THEY ALSO CAN ATTRACT SQUATTERS, CRIMINAL. REALLY? NOTHING GOOD COMES OUT OF THEM. A 2020 SURVEY FOUND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY HAD THE MOST VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES, INCLUDING AND SOUTH LOUISVILLE, DOWNTOWN ON EDGE NEIGHBORHOODS AND OLD LOUISVILLE HAD ABOUT 1500 STRUCTURES THAT WERE CONSIDERED VACANT AND ABANDONED. ANOTHER 2500 HAD A SLIGHT DAMAGE AND 1300 STRUCTURES HAD MODERATE TO SIGNIFY VACANT DAMAGE. LAND, BANK AUTHORITY BEEN WORKING TO GET EMPTY HOMES INTO THE HANDS OF BUYERS WHO WILL UP THE PROPERTIES. WE CAN SAY THAT WE’VE INITIATED FORECLOSURES AND WE’VE DEMOLISHED AND WE’VE SOLD 700 PROPERTIES. BUT ARE WE MOVING THE NEEDLE AND SO WE DO SEE THAT THE CITY SAYS WHILE THEY’RE MAKING PROGRESS TO REMEDY ABANDONED PROPERTIES, THERE’S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE. THE CITY HAS LOBBIED FOR CHANGES WITH STATE LAW, HAS ALLOWED THEM TO INITIATE MORE THAN 1000 FORECLOSURES AND. THE CITY CONTINUES TO MAINTAIN EMPTY HOMES. ONE EXAMPLE IS CLEAR BOARDING AND EXPANDING OUR CODES AND REGULATIONS. MOWING CREWS SO THAT ABANDONED PROPERTY IS STILL LOOK MAINTAINED AND HOPEFULLY DETERRING BAD ELEMENTS. DANIEL SAYS THE EMPTY PROPERTIES ON HER STREET ARE STILL AN EYESORE. IT’S BEEN SO LONG IT’S LIKE YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE HOPE, LOVE, BECAUSE IT’S JUST LIKE IT’S JUST SITTING THERE