SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - With the swing of an excavator’s mechanical arm the dilapidated house at 503 South Summit Avenue came crashing down today.
Mayor Mike Huether says the city will not tolerate bad neighbors anywhere in Sioux Falls. Unfortunately, the Mayor says, the process seems to favor bad neighbors over the good ones. But he says Sioux Falls will hold the bad ones accoiuntable.
An elderly neighbor, Charlotte, wrote to Huether saying she keeps her drapes closed so she doesn’t have to look at the declining property.
After two-and-half years of complaints, calls to police and a failure to maintain the property, the city demolished a run-down house on South Summit Avenue this morning.
Assistant Director of Planning and Building Services, Kevin Smith says the city relies on neighbors to identify bad neighbors. He says no one has to live next door to bad neighbor that do not abide by the city's codes.
Smith says the Sioux Falls has community standards residents must follow.