In an ongoing crackdown on unsafe and dilapidated properties, the city of Charleston ordered 25 houses or apartment buildings torn down during 2008.

“That’s something we’ve taken a tougher stand on,” said Mayor John Inyart.

The city’s tougher stand has lead many property owners to clean up their properties or have problem buildings destroyed, he said.

“Showing that we’re serious about that has brought some property owners around,” Inyart said. “In all cases, the neighborhood has ended up safer for it.”

Inyart said many owners chose to either clean-up their properties or have the problem buildings destroyed themselves, adding that, of all the buildings demolished during his time as mayor, the city has only paid to remove 15.

He said that many of those homeowners eventually reimbursed the city.

State law allows city governments to condemn unsafe buildings and order them demolished, Inyart said.

“This is a tool the state has available for us,” he said. “It’s not ‘Can we tear your property down?’ it’s ‘We will tear your property down.'”

But Inyart said many dilapidated properties are being replaced without prodding from the city.

Inyart said the new Melrose Place apartments on Fourth Street replaced four houses in “terrible shape.”

“They were replaced with safe, attractive student housing,” he said. “That’s a perfect example of ‘out with the old, in with the new.'”

Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7945 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.