JACKSON, MI – Instead of tearing down three blighted homes, the city of Jackson is selling them – on the condition they get fixed up, quickly.
The Jackson City Council unanimously agreed to sell houses at 763 Randolph St., 326 Carr St. and 235 E. Prospect St. during its Tuesday, June 11 meeting.
The individuals purchasing each property are putting money in escrow, which will be used by the city to demolish the homes if they're not up to code in time. The Randolph Street property has until Dec. 30 to be fixed, while the other two have until June 2020.
Mayor Derek Dobies called the plan a “win-win.” He’s been hearing concerns about the property on Randolph Street since he was a councilman in the 6th Ward.
"If someone is willing to invest that kind of money into that property, then God bless them," Dobies said.
763 Randolph St. in Jackson on Wednesday, June 12, 2019. The city of Jackson is selling this home for an individual to fix up instead of tearing it down. (Mary Lewandowski | MLive.com)Mary Lewandowski
The city is selling the house at 235 E. Prospect St. in Jackson instead of tearing it down.Mary Lewandowski
The houses are in rough shape, Dobies said, and the new homeowners have a laundry list of improvements to make. The selling price for the three houses was between $4,500 and $6,000.
"It is quite an eyesore and it's been a dumping ground for quite some time," Councilwoman Colleen Sullivan said of the Randolph house. "It's also been a place for some negative activity in the neighborhood."
The city has torn down more than 900 structures from 2011-18, at a cost of more than $10 million from federal, state and city funds. The demand is starting to balance out with the supply, Dobies said.
All houses headed toward demolition are up for discussion for similar treatment, Dobies said, although many are so far beyond repair they’re “financially obsolete,” he said.