Mayor Lester Miller has made it a mission to waste no in tackling blight throughout Macon-Bibb County. On April 14, Mayor Miller, Commissioners, and several departments held a news conference to announce the 30 in 30 Initiative.

This initiative is aimed to demolish 30 blighted houses in 30 days. Mayor Miller made this announcement before crews demolished two houses on Pinson Street Wednesday.  Click here to view the photo album on Facebook.

“Starting this initiative is going to make Macon a clean and safe to live, to raise a family and to enjoy life,” said Mayor Miller. 

While the houses were being taken down, our Solid Waste and Public Works crews also cleaned up the neighborhood. They cleared illegal dumps, removed piles of tires and cut the rights-of-way. 

“We’re not stopping here. What we have also done in the meantime, while we’re running and going with the Mayor’s initiative, is we’ve already provided him another 70 locations, said Director of Code Enforcement, J.T. Ricketson. “Which also includes some commercial blighted areas.

Seven structures were fully cleared to be demolished that Tuesday at 308 Old Mast Cove, 4233 Pinson Street, 4236 Pinson Street, 734 Carmen Place, 4036 Worham Ave, and 628 Carman Place. 

Several weeks ago, 57 properties were deemed unsafe and a public nuisance by the Mayor, and the property owners were given a chance to begin making improvements. Of those, 37 never responded and work was begun to prepare them for demolition, from testing and abating to utility disconnects to water line capping. Another 70 properties are currently being reviewed as potentially unsafe so that when the first 37 are torn down, another group will be ready. In addition to demolition, crews from the Public Works, Solid Waste, and Parks & Beautification Departments will conduct a cleanup of the surrounding streets.

“We have to do more to attack blight than just tear down houses, and I want to thank our departments for joining together to do focused work like this. Not only will we be removing an unsafe structure, but we’ll be also cleaning up the streets,” said Mayor Miller.