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City of Racine May Go to Court to Force Cooperation in Planned Neighborhood Improvement Project

June 22, 2023 12:10p

(WGTD)---City officials in Racine expect to see fairly dramatic results in the quality of the housing stock across a broad swath of the city in the coming years. And it appears officials are ready to use a measure of force to achieve their goals.

The city’s Community Development Authority this week unanimously approved a redevelopment plan for the Lincoln-King neighborhood. It’s an area on the north side west of Douglas Ave. covering nearly 1,500 parcels.

Seed money to fund the project comes from a $15 million federal grant, and will be supplemented over the coming years by various pots of money at the local level.

The program calls for helping homeowners foot the bill for improving their homes, forcing landlords to bring their properties up to code, building new single family homes on vacant lots and in some cases using the power of eminent domain to acquire run-down properties.

Although the duration of the project is 20 years, all of the money from the $15 million federal grant needs to be expended over the next three years.

City officials expect that some residents will be dislocated. Relocation cost reimbursement is included in the plan.

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