Nine months after Kansas City's mayor promised to tackle dangerous vacant homes and buildings, the city is making progress.
More than 62 "dangerous" properties have been torn down.
"It's a problem, it's a huge problem," said Ted Anderson, the executive director of the Kansas City Land Bank.
For years, Kansas City has struggled with hideous, dangerous vacant buildings in struggling neighborhoods. The properties have often been blamed for crime and graffiti in neighborhoods and lowered surrounding property values.
In February, Mayor Sly James announced plans to spend $10 million over the next two years to tear down about 800 of those properties.
3221 Roberts St. was one of those properties.
"There were a lot of people going in and out and in the end it got so bad. You could see the whole front of the house really looked like a junk yard," said Gabby Lamas, who lives down the street.
Today, 3221 Roberts St. is an empty lot. This year, the city decided to demolish the home as part of it's plan.
The home had trash thrown all over the yard. The windows were broken out. The front door was kicked. Squatters often stayed inside the building. According to neighbors, drug users also used the home as a place to get high.
"There are properties all over the center city that look just like that," said Anderson.
