Abandoned Homes - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Abandoned Homes

Homes across the valley are being rebuilt following the flood of last year...but not all of them.
More than 200 currently sit having had nothing done to them following the river's retreat about a year ago.
So what happens to those homes?
Perry Olson has that today...

 A large majority of homeowners in the valley have done some work on flooded homes...yet still, there are those homes that sit full of flood debris...never once touched after the Mouse went back into her banks...and that is a problem...

(Jason Zimmerman - Flood Recovery Coordinator) "They found 281 homes that essentially could pose a public risk to health and safety."

First District Health Unit has identified the homes...

(Jim Heckman - First District Health Unit) "Primarily we are looking for structural issues in the homes that may have happened over the winter or that got overlooked.  Are there holes in the basement?  Is it dangerous with windows broken and doors open so people can get in there."  (Jason Zimmerman - Flood Recovery Coordinator) "We know that there are homes in varying degrees of damage and now that we are this far past it, the emotions have run the natural course and they are starting to understand maybe what they are going to need to do."

First District wants to know the plans for those homes...and they have started sending out letters to owners of these untouched, seemingly abandoned homes inquiring about future plans...

(Jim Heckman - First District Health Unit) "What I am sending out are letters asking to tell me what you are going to do.  You get so many days to tell me what you are going to do and if you don't let me know then we have no recourse other than to send a letter to the city asking that it be put on the demolition list."

That is the last thing the city wants to see happen...in fact, Zimmerman says the goal will be to direct people toward any help they may be able to get to rehabilitate a property...

(Jason Zimmerman - Flood Recovery Coordinator) "Preferably we'd like to see them rebuild those homes but if that isn't an option for them and other resources are not there for them as far as what they can afford maybe we can find resources for them to at least get the property back to square one so maybe they can consider their options and not go through the foreclosure process and it going back on taxes to the city."

That might mean getting help to get it gutted and cleaned...and maybe sold for a price higher than expected.  After all, with a housing market the likes being experienced right now...even these homes can fetch big bucks.  In Minot, Perry Olson, KX News.

Zimmerman says in talks with officials from Louisiana and Cedar Rapids, Iowa -- they were urged to make sure these abandoned homes don't be allowed to stay standing.
It hurts values on nearby homes that have been rebuilt -- and poses a significant health risk as well.