Richmond to demolish more than 50 blighted houses soon

RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) – An eastern Indiana city has demolished 15 troubled properties in the past seven weeks and plans to knock down more than 50 more by mid-December.

The Palladium-Item reports the city of Richmond, 70 miles east of Indianapolis, is receiving more than $3 million in federal funds through the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority for the Blight Elimination Program.

Richmond’s Department of Metropolitan Development Director Tony Foster says the city plans to demolish more than 130 properties. He says it will be an ongoing process through the middle of next summer.