MS Secretary of State’s office in position to help with city clean-up
MISSISSIPPI (WCBI) – Dilapidated buildings are a problem in nearly every town and city in the state.
They are not only eyesores, they can also be health hazards or even havens for criminal activity.
When they are in disrepair or abandoned altogether, they also lose value and can bring down the property values of other houses and buildings in the neighborhood, and that can affect the bottom lines of city and county governments.
Often, if those local governments want to clean up the properties, they end up footing the bill when owners can’t be found or won’t pay.
Mississippi’s Secretary of State’s office is now in a position to help.
For several years, it has had a fund to give cities money for clean-up.
But, it wasn’t very well funded.
This year the Legislature took care of that, and Secretary of State Michael Watson is encouraging local governments to apply.
