Braddock community steps up fight against blighted properties

One local community is planning to fight blight.

All across Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities, there are buildings standing empty and unattended.

From the boarded-up windows, to overgrown grass, you can understand why Braddock resident Joe Mospan wants the next door blight out of his sight.

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Mospan told Channel 11 he's lived in this neighborhood for nearly 50 years. The last seven though, no one has lived next door to him and it’s not just a problem here on his block blight is found all over the borough.

“Almost every other house, or couple houses, you'll see blight,” Mospan said.

Borough manager Deborah Brown said one out of three homes are designated blight -- something Braddock is trying to change and they need the community's help.

Borough leaders said that they're meeting with the community Wednesday night at the Braddock Carnegie Library to discuss their options, including redeveloping vacant lots.

“We are looking at ways on how to put something in those lots -- working with Grow Pittsburgh to put something in those lots that is low maintenance and has a nice view,” Brown said.

They also want to create a rental licensing program to keep track of property owners who are not doing their neighborly part.

“Because we have 68 percent rental properties in the area, sometimes the landlord or owners are ghosts...can’t get in contact with them,” Brown said.

Cox Media Group