Council Hears Presentation on Abandoned Properties
Industry Update
December 5, 2023
Source: hannibal.net
The Hannibal City Council heard an impassioned pitch Tuesday from two local property owners on the need to take action regarding abandoned and derelict properties across the city, but especially in the downtown and central neighborhood areas.
Bob Yapp and Andrew Wikstrom stated up front the issues they were concerned with are not with occupied homes that are not in great shape, a separate issue to the pair, but rather the homes and commercial buildings that are empty and unsecured from trespass or nature.
Wikstrom said he sees Hannibal “rising like a phoenix” with development that’s happened in the last 10 to 20 years, but that “we’re hitting a stopping point” because of absentee property owners.
Yapp said he understands the idea of buying properties in growing areas, taking advantage of lower values that are expected to go higher in coming years. But he said some of the property speculators out there are taking advantage of others who are actually putting in the work to improve surrounding properties.
Hannibal Mayor Barry Louderman agreed with the concerns and said he would task Wikstrom and Yapp with forming a citizen-based committee to make recommendations on actions to be taken on properties that might be saved as well as those that are beyond repair.
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