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Cleveland could hold the future of the foreclosure crisis: Demolition

Four years into this city’s housing crisis, it has often become cheaper for banks to give away a home and pay to demolish it than continue to hold on. And places across the country are watching.

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Oct. 5, 2011

A house on Pontiac Street in the Cleveland area, about an hour before it was demolished. The task of plowing under the homes rests with the Cuyahoga County Land Revitalization Corp., which sprang from a 2009 state law aimed at creating so-called land banks to acquire unwanted properties and attempt to put them to better use.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

The rubble of the house on Pontiac Street taken just after it was demolished. With as many as 15,000 vacant and abandoned structures remaining in the city and more on the way, the job at the current pace could take longer than a decade and cost $250 million.

Oct. 5, 2011

The rubble of the house on Pontiac Street taken just after it was demolished. With as many as 15,000 vacant and abandoned structures remaining in the city and more on the way, the job at the current pace could take longer than a decade and cost $250 million.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

A foreclosed Cleveland apartment building that was deemed beyond repair is demolished. The Cuyahoga land bank officials expect to complete about 700 demolitions by the end of the year.

Oct. 4, 2011

A foreclosed Cleveland apartment building that was deemed beyond repair is demolished. The Cuyahoga land bank officials expect to complete about 700 demolitions by the end of the year.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

The house on Pontiac Street is demolished. Water is sprayed on the dwelling to keep the dust down. The banks that own the properties often pay for the razing, as much as $7,500 per property.

Oct. 5, 2011

The house on Pontiac Street is demolished. Water is sprayed on the dwelling to keep the dust down. The banks that own the properties often pay for the razing, as much as $7,500 per property.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

The remains of a razed home owned by the Cuyahoga County land bank.

Oct. 5, 2011

The remains of a razed home owned by the Cuyahoga County land bank.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Tom Hennessy brushes off tile to see whether it might be worth saving during a demolition in Cleveland. Hennessy, who works for a company called A Piece of Cleveland, deconstructs derelict homes and buildings, salvaging wood, tile and brick before they are demolished.

Oct. 5, 2011

Tom Hennessy brushes off tile to see whether it might be worth saving during a demolition in Cleveland. Hennessy, who works for a company called A Piece of Cleveland, deconstructs derelict homes and buildings, salvaging wood, tile and brick before they are demolished.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Maggie Leighty, left, and Frances Fuchs watch as a home across the street is demolished in Cleveland. They both agreed that they were glad to see the home torn down as it was hurting property values in the neighborhood.

Oct. 5, 2011

Maggie Leighty, left, and Frances Fuchs watch as a home across the street is demolished in Cleveland. They both agreed that they were glad to see the home torn down as it was hurting property values in the neighborhood.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

In some parts of Cleveland, the lots where derelict homes were torn down are being reused as community garden plots.

Oct. 5, 2011

In some parts of Cleveland, the lots where derelict homes were torn down are being reused as community garden plots.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Gus Frangos, president of the Cuyahoga County land bank, points to a map of Cleveland that shows the more than 15,000 properties, represented by red dots, that suffered foreclosure and have to be dealt with. Many will be demolished under a special program to get rid of blight.

Oct. 5, 2011

Gus Frangos, president of the Cuyahoga County land bank, points to a map of Cleveland that shows the more than 15,000 properties, represented by red dots, that suffered foreclosure and have to be dealt with. Many will be demolished under a special program to get rid of blight.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

This is part of an entire block of homes and apartments on Lockwood Avenue that will eventually be torn down.

Oct. 5, 2011

This is part of an entire block of homes and apartments on Lockwood Avenue that will eventually be torn down.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Joe Cahill covers his mouth with his sweatshirt as dust flies in his face when a backhoe being operated by his father, Gerald Cahill, begins tearing down an abandoned house.

Oct. 5, 2011

Joe Cahill covers his mouth with his sweatshirt as dust flies in his face when a backhoe being operated by his father, Gerald Cahill, begins tearing down an abandoned house.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

The interior of a kitchen in a home in South Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland, shortly before it was demolished. Cleveland's program has garnered attention; New York has passed a similar measure, and other laws are in the works in Georgia, Philadelphia and elsewhere.

Oct. 5, 2011

The interior of a kitchen in a home in South Euclid, a suburb of Cleveland, shortly before it was demolished. Cleveland's program has garnered attention; New York has passed a similar measure, and other laws are in the works in Georgia, Philadelphia and elsewhere.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Gerald Cahill, left, and his son Joe Cahill flinch as dust flies in their faces as they open an attic window to access the roof for tile removal. They were doing prep work before the house was demolished.

Oct. 5, 2011

Gerald Cahill, left, and his son Joe Cahill flinch as dust flies in their faces as they open an attic window to access the roof for tile removal. They were doing prep work before the house was demolished.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Tom Hennessy, who salvages parts of derelict homes before they are demolished, found letters and postcards from the 1940s behind the fireplace in one home.

Oct. 5, 2011

Tom Hennessy, who salvages parts of derelict homes before they are demolished, found letters and postcards from the 1940s behind the fireplace in one home.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Beverly Crim, 77, walks to her car as an apartment building across the street from her house is razed.

Oct. 5, 2011

Beverly Crim, 77, walks to her car as an apartment building across the street from her house is razed.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Beverly Crim, 77, watches as an apartment building across the street from her house is razed. She said that it was sad to watch the neighborhood deteriorate over the years but that she was pleased to see the long-abandoned buildings on her block torn down.

Oct. 5, 2011

Beverly Crim, 77, watches as an apartment building across the street from her house is razed. She said that it was sad to watch the neighborhood deteriorate over the years but that she was pleased to see the long-abandoned buildings on her block torn down.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Tom Hennessy works on deconstructing a home.

Oct. 5, 2011

Tom Hennessy works on deconstructing a home.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Gerald Cahill, left, and J.J. Bojman work to remove asbestos tiles before beginning demolition on an abandoned home.

Oct. 5, 2011

Gerald Cahill, left, and J.J. Bojman work to remove asbestos tiles before beginning demolition on an abandoned home.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

After being unemployed, Melvin Scott, left, and Yanko Mansaray ended up getting work for a contractor that strips homes of recyclable items such as wood, brick and tile before the building is demolished.

Oct. 5, 2011

After being unemployed, Melvin Scott, left, and Yanko Mansaray ended up getting work for a contractor that strips homes of recyclable items such as wood, brick and tile before the building is demolished.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Gerald Cahill prepares to enter an abandoned home to do prep work before demolition. The home is sprayed with water to minimize dust.

Oct. 5, 2011

Gerald Cahill prepares to enter an abandoned home to do prep work before demolition. The home is sprayed with water to minimize dust.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

Pedestrians walk past a fence surrounding several buildings that are slated for demolition. In the background are vacant lots where homes that were already demolished once stood. Old industrial cities such as Cleveland risk hollowing out parts of their urban core if there is too much demolition. So land banks aim to be strategic about where demolitions take place, often trying to cluster them in 'target areas' as part of efforts to stabilize neighborhoods.

Oct. 5, 2011

Pedestrians walk past a fence surrounding several buildings that are slated for demolition. In the background are vacant lots where homes that were already demolished once stood. Old industrial cities such as Cleveland risk hollowing out parts of their urban core if there is too much demolition. So land banks aim to be strategic about where demolitions take place, often trying to cluster them in "target areas" as part of efforts to stabilize neighborhoods.

Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post

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