Huntingburg Board of Public Works and Safety cleaning up another home

The Huntingburg Board of Public Works and Safety showed compassion Tuesday morning to a local family dealing with poor living conditions in the city limits.

The city has been on a mission to demolish blighted homes in city limits that pose a public hazard. Since the code enforcement efforts have been stepped up, the city has demolished four houses in as many years.

The home at 413 N. Jackson Street was slated to be demolished this month after the family vacated, but the board heard from the resident, Melissa Salinas, who requested they hold off on demolition. She stated the property is being sold to a local contractor who will tear it down.

The board told Salinas that they are concerned for the health and well-being of her family. They heard that conditions in the house include backed up sewage in the basement as well as other poor living conditions enumerated by code enforcement officer Steve Collett and Fire Department Chief Scott Patberg during a hearing at the board meeting.

Salinas assured the board that the family is moving out very soon into better housing.

Mayor Denny Spinner made a motion to delay the City action of forcing the family out by giving an additional 30 days to vacate, then the demolition would move forward in February if the existing contractor does not come through.

The City is moving forward to demolish another house that has already been condemned and vacated by the occupant.

The house as 406 East 1st Avenue will be torn down by the Huntingburg Street Department this month as part of the actions by the city to clean up blighted properties.

Spinner says that they are not needlessly removing families. “This is a very tough situation, but we also look for alternatives that will improve the situation for the family and that’s one of the things we were able to achieve through this process as difficult as it is,” he explained.

Spinner says that the Huntingburg Fund, announced earlier this week, is helping to assist families in these situations to address their most urgent needs, including housing.