MONROE - One year after the city's Public Property Committee began discussing how to deal with an abandoned, run-down house on 11th Street, the City of Monroe will now get a little financial help to remove the potentially dangerous eye-sore.
Monroe will receive up to $9,500 under the Wisconsin Strategic Blight Elimination Program to defray the costs of razing the house, estimated between $6,500 and $9,500. City Administrator Phil Rath said the actual cost will depend upon what demolition crews find in the house, such as asbestos.
"It's a huge eye-sore," said Brooke Bauman, committee chairman, "and this (money) will help us not to put the whole financial burden on our taxpayers. Our final goal is to sell the property, so the city won't have to incur the costs to maintain it - mowing the grass and snow removal."
Committee members want the house gone by Cheese Days, Sept. 14-16.
"Eleventh Street is somewhat of a main street," Bauman said, "and we'd like it (the house) out of there, not only for visitors, but for the people who live here."
Not only does it look bad, Bauman said the property at 1011 11th St., initially left open to the elements before city crews stepped in to board it up, is a safety concern. Committee members sought removal to discourage wild animals seeking shelter, curious children and what was suspected to be underage drinking in the abandoned house.
On July 3, the city council unanimously approved demolishing the home. The city paid about $6,800 in back taxes and received a quit-claim deed to the property July 19. It hopes to negotiate a deal with an adjoining neighbor to purchase the lot once it is cleared.
The county was ready to take steps to acquire the property for back taxes, if it could find a buyer. But the house, assessed at $700 in its current condition, sits on a $7,200 non-conforming lot, which means, if the house is torn down, another house cannot be built on the undersized lot.
The committee, along with Rath, for months had been looking for ways to clear the lot at a reduced or no cost to the city, and then on June 4 WHEDA began distributing information about the $1-million state program to help eliminate blighted housing in Wisconsin communities. Interested parties had until June 29 to apply. Projects were scored in July, and awards were announced Aug. 1. Funds will be available for disbursement beginning Aug. 17.
The state Department of Financial Institutions and Department of Justice each committed $500,000 for the program. The funding comes from proceeds received by Wisconsin in the multi-state mortgage settlement announced in February. WHEDA administers the program.
Half of the funding is allocated to communities outside of Milwaukee; the other half is earmarked for 39 units to be demolished within Milwaukee as part of Gov. Scott Walker's earlier-announced Transform Milwaukee Initiative.
Monroe will receive up to $9,500 under the Wisconsin Strategic Blight Elimination Program to defray the costs of razing the house, estimated between $6,500 and $9,500. City Administrator Phil Rath said the actual cost will depend upon what demolition crews find in the house, such as asbestos.
"It's a huge eye-sore," said Brooke Bauman, committee chairman, "and this (money) will help us not to put the whole financial burden on our taxpayers. Our final goal is to sell the property, so the city won't have to incur the costs to maintain it - mowing the grass and snow removal."
Committee members want the house gone by Cheese Days, Sept. 14-16.
"Eleventh Street is somewhat of a main street," Bauman said, "and we'd like it (the house) out of there, not only for visitors, but for the people who live here."
Not only does it look bad, Bauman said the property at 1011 11th St., initially left open to the elements before city crews stepped in to board it up, is a safety concern. Committee members sought removal to discourage wild animals seeking shelter, curious children and what was suspected to be underage drinking in the abandoned house.
On July 3, the city council unanimously approved demolishing the home. The city paid about $6,800 in back taxes and received a quit-claim deed to the property July 19. It hopes to negotiate a deal with an adjoining neighbor to purchase the lot once it is cleared.
The county was ready to take steps to acquire the property for back taxes, if it could find a buyer. But the house, assessed at $700 in its current condition, sits on a $7,200 non-conforming lot, which means, if the house is torn down, another house cannot be built on the undersized lot.
The committee, along with Rath, for months had been looking for ways to clear the lot at a reduced or no cost to the city, and then on June 4 WHEDA began distributing information about the $1-million state program to help eliminate blighted housing in Wisconsin communities. Interested parties had until June 29 to apply. Projects were scored in July, and awards were announced Aug. 1. Funds will be available for disbursement beginning Aug. 17.
The state Department of Financial Institutions and Department of Justice each committed $500,000 for the program. The funding comes from proceeds received by Wisconsin in the multi-state mortgage settlement announced in February. WHEDA administers the program.
Half of the funding is allocated to communities outside of Milwaukee; the other half is earmarked for 39 units to be demolished within Milwaukee as part of Gov. Scott Walker's earlier-announced Transform Milwaukee Initiative.