“This has truly been a team effort, with our Code Enforcement Officers leading the way where directed by the community, and supported by crews from Public Works, Facilities Management, Terracon, utility companies, the Water Authority, the Attorneys Officer, and private contractors,” says Mayor Miller. “This is our home, and we are each fighting to improve it in any way possible.
While the demolitions are happening, the county and partners are working on different ways to fund construction of new homes and developments as ways to strengthen families and neighborhoods.
Macon-Bibb allocated $500,000 of its American Rescue Plan funds to Habitat for Humanity, which was then matched by the Peyton Anderson Foundation, to build eight new homes. The mortgage payments from those homes will create a revolving fund that would help build new homes for many years to come.
In addition to Habitat for Humanity, Macon-Bibb funded $3.2 million ($1.6 million each from Macon-Bibb and the Knight Foundation) to NewTown Macon and the Historic Macon Foundation, and $7.5 million as a match for a revolving loan fund that will be used to build even more housing.
“We are working to strengthen our families, our homes, and our neighborhoods as quickly as we can, using many different programs and strategies,” says Mayor Miller. “Whether it’s using the courts to crack down on centers of crime, providing free mental health support services, improving public safety, or building housing, this work is too important for us to slow down.”
Below is a map of all the units and buildings that have been demolished since April 2021, as well as how you can get involved by reporting issues in your neighborhood.
Blight Demolitions Map
Building a Brighter Community by Clearing Blight Together
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FAQs
Call 478-803-0470 to report rundown properties and other blight issues in your neighborhood.
Blight is property that has become uninhabitable, unsafe, or abandoned. It may pose an imminent threat to other properties from its state of disrepair, or be the site of repeated illegal activity.
Addressing blight has been shown to bring several benefits, including:
- Improving psychological safety and neighborhood health
- Reducing the frequency of criminal activity
- Increasing property values in the area
If you know a property that meets at least two of the criteria below, you can report it as blight here.
A property is considered blight if it meets at least two of the following criteria:
- Is uninhabitable, unsafe, or abandoned due to:
- Safety hazards caused by property disrepair.
- Severely overgrown vegetation (12 inches or higher).
- Prolonged, repeated criminal activity on the property.
- Unsafe animal infestation.
- Has inadequate ventilation, light, air, stormwater, or sanitation.
- Poses an imminent threat to other property caused by fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, storm, or other natural catastrophe as declared by the governor.
- Is the site of repeated illegal activity that the owner knew of or should have known of.
- Maintenance fails to meet governmental codes for at least one year after written notice of the violation to its owner.
Note: the following criteria are not considered blight
- Yard unkempt (unless other blight conditions exist).
- Animals running loose. For concerns about animals, contact the Animal Service at (478) 621 6797.
- Abandoned Vehicles.
Blighted properties may be subject to tax consequences until the owner addresses the condition by making repairs or demolishing the building.
If a property is inspected by the Code Enforcement Department and determined to be a danger to the public, then demolition of the structure may be completed by Macon-Bibb County.
The Office of the Mayor may send a "nuisance per see" notice letter to the owner of the parcel. Property owners who receive that notice letter may choose to demolish or secure and repair the structure in a reasonable time. If no action is taken, Macon-Bibb County could proceed with the demolition of the structure.
If your property was identified as blighted, your Notice of Violation letter will include a compliance date and details on steps to remediate the conditions.
If you make the necessary repairs or perform the necessary maintenance prior to the compliance date on the letter, report this compliance to the Department of Code Enforcement at 478-803-0470.
If you are unable to complete repairs or perform the necessary maintenance call the Department of Code Enforcement at 478-803-0470 and provide your address and contact number. A Code Enforcement Officer will contact you to discuss the issue.