Abandoned buildings come down across Houston

  

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Dozens of neighborhood eyesores were reduced to piles of rubble Saturday thanks to Houston's third annual Demolition Day

The city of Houston knocked down abandoned buildings across the city in an effort to promote public safety and enhance quality of life for residents.

Members of the Houston Contractors Association donated their services to bulldoze a portion of them, allowing more to be taken down in just one day.

Demo Day, as it's called, was instated by Mayor Annise Parker as a means to get rid of neglected or dilapidated properties that have become eyesores or epicenters of crime in their neighborhoods. And it gives neighbors a chance to watch as the hazardous homes in their area are torn down.

We saw the destruction of one home that was not just a nuisance to neighbors; it was even causing people to move away.

"We had some neighbors who wanted to move out because of the blight," Ray Washington said. "Now, when they see this, this gives them hope that this will continue to be a better neighborhood."

Nearly 200 buildings across Houston are marked as tear-downs. The bulldozers will keep rolling until all of them have been demolished. The debris will be cleared in the weeks that follow.

For a list of properties on the city's demolition list, visit www.houstontx.gov.

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