Removing Blight, One House at a Time

What was once an overgrown yard with a run-down house, is now an empty lot that is ready for a new home! Just this month, NeighborWorks Great Falls had this blighted property demolished to make way for the next new construction, affordable home in Great Falls. Director of Construction, Keith Nelson explains,” 512, was a very old home and built on the back of the lot. Years ago, up to three homes could be built per lot in the downtown area. This is still seen on a lot of side streets. I suspect there was a home towards the front of this property at one time. We plan on adding a quality, mid-level home to this lot towards the front of this property, giving it a nice backyard and parking area.”

Removing blight downtown has been at the core of what we do since the beginning. Taking out blighted properties and building new homes is an integral part of neighborhood revitalization, and we have witnessed firsthand how an entire block can change simply from the removal of one home. Keith states, “We’ve gone in and cleaned out properties, built new homes, and landscaped yards. Neighbors take notice of the difference. Then, they begin to clean up and do repairs on their own properties. You can see a renewed sense of pride come alive from the neighboring homeowners.” A new affordable home will be built on this downtown lot in the next few years.

House by house, block by block, NeighborWorks Great Falls strives to be a sustainable leader in community housing and neighborhood solutions. From building homes to helping neighbors into those homes, we have been here for this community for the last 40 years and plan to continue this work for years to come.