Greenville Purchases Not So Prime Real Estate

Every city has problem areas where homes are abandoned or crime is prevalent. Greenville is doing what it can to take one of the rougher neighborhoods and revitalize.

“What we’re doing is trying to clean up a bad area,” said Mayor Dexter McLendon. “We’ve got three houses over there that are pretty much abandoned but people are staying, going in and out, and a lot of things going on that don’t need to be going on.”

The city purchased six lots with homes on Walnut Street, on the East side of the city. The homes are older and run down. Some are even abandoned, becoming prime real estate for criminal activity, according to Greenville Police Chief Lonzo Ingram.

“Anytime you have old, dilapidated houses that no one cares for, it attracts the wrong element to come into the house,” Ingram said.

McLendon and Ingram said the number of 911 calls and crimes coming out of those particular houses was extremely high, and that it was an easy decision for the city to purchase the property.

“For $32,000 we can buy six houses, and all the land,” McLendon said. “And our plans are to tear the houses down.”

There are still individuals living in some of the Walnut Street homes. The residents said they were upset about the decision, but understood the city’s need for progress.

“You know, they know what’s been going on. They know what they’ve been doing,” McLendon said. “They’ve been seeing drug activity and things like that, so we’re just getting rid of a problem.”

As soon as the sale is finalized, residents will have 60 to 90 days to move out. McLendon and Ingram are not looking to kick anyone out of a home, but they want to do what’s best for Greenville.

“You might have people to come in there squatting, just trying to live in there, and carry on various other criminal activity, in these old houses,” Ingram said. “So it’s a great thing to be able to get them down, and clean up the neighborhood.”

As of right now, the city has no plans for the soon-to-be empty lots.