An update on Kings Park

While the demolition process has begun on several properties, consolidation has interrupted the process, said John Baker, the building abatement supervisor for Macon-Bibb’s Department of Business and Development Services.

Legal proceedings begun in State Court when Kings Park was in the unincorporated county are back to square one in Municipal Court now that the neighborhood is part of the city.

In some instances, dilapidated houses fall into disrepair as heirs squabble in the absence of a will.

“One of them wants to fix it up, but another thinks it’s worth more than it is,” Baker said. “Then the house just deteriorates and no one takes care of it.”

The blight feeds on itself as property values decline as more houses sit vacant and are vulnerable to vandals.

Many landlords, he said, decide not to reinvest in renovations.

“The market value is really low, and once they pull the wiring and strip the plumbing, even if the structure is pretty good, once you try to make repairs, sometimes you’re spending more than you can get for the house.”

— Liz Fabian

This story was originally published September 21, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "An update on Kings Park."