Condemnation is necessary

I appreciate the Fremont Town Board's willingness to condemn properties in town. As reflected in the discussion last week, it is never easy to condemn someone’s property, and Harold Cuddington’s questions are some I think we all have asked at one time or another.
The sorry truth is that the American dream of home ownership fades into a harsh reality: once you buy a home, you not only have to pay for it. but you have to pay to keep it up. Plenty of homes in eastern North Carolina have long been paid for, but no one has kept them up. And some, the owner can’t afford to pay for or keep up.
To be sure, plenty of homeowners do a good job maintaining their properties, but plenty also don’t. And no one wants one of those who don’t, beside theirs.
It doesn’t seem right that them that do right would have to pay for those who don’t, but as long as people can get easy credit, there will be people who will buy houses they can’t afford to keep up.
Not to mention the older retired couple whose money is nearly run out, just trying to keep food in the house and the lights on. The paint on the exterior or the new roof will go lacking on that home.
It used to be that the kids wouldn’t let their older parents go without, but a lot of them have moved away and they don’t have to face the neighbors.
No, it doesn’t seem that should be the town’s problem, but if the property owner won’t address it, and heaven knows the town has given them every opportunity, who is going to do it?
While the town can continue to attach the deed with bills for repairs or out and out demolition of property and sell the property to try to recover their expenses, in some cases they will never get their money back.
Spending public money on a park in the middle of town makes some sense, but spending public money on an individual’s house, and one that usually is not occupied or fit to occupy, doesn’t. What makes sense is for the owner either to fix it so someone can live in it or to take it down so something else can go up in its place. What happens too often is nothing, even when you threaten.
Some owners who should do something, will not do anything. Following through on condemnations, fixing up properties and attaching them, and demolitions will encourage some who can, to take action before the town does.
As happened with one home last week, the owners promised if they just had some more time they would address the problems, but they didn’t.
Condemnations are yucky business. I can’t blame Fremont town board members for not wanting to be in it. I’m just glad they are willing to clean up the town for the rest of us.