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NEWS RELEASE

August 6, 2007

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County Set to Demolish Abandoned Home

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County’s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits (DILP) has been given permission to begin demolition on a home abandoned by the property owner over three years ago. The home, located at 6624 Aspern Drive in the Deep Run Village in Elkridge, has been declared structurally unsound and both a fire and health hazard. Demolition will begin tomorrow, Tuesday, August 7 at 10 a.m.

The abandoned property was initially brought to the County’s attention through a citizen’s complaint that the home appeared unsafe, was falling into decay, grass and trees were overgrown, and various forms of wildlife inhabited the property. DILP began enforcement action in March 2005; and in June 2006, District Court Judge Alice Clark issued an $8,700 fine to the property owner and ordered the home demolished within 30 days.

Due to failure to comply with Judge Clark’s order and failure to appear on contempt charges, the property owner was arrested and later posted $10,000 bail. On July 3, 2007, the County was granted permission to begin demolition on the home and awarded the property owner’s forfeited $10,000 bail money to cover costs of demolition.

“This day has been a long time coming for the residents of the Deep Run Village,” said Bob Frances, Acting Director of the County’s Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, “and I want to commend them for their perseverance. Although county government respects the rights of all property owners, this decaying property had become unsafe and an unbearable situation for the neighbors. I hope this demolition will serve as a springboard for the much-anticipated revitalization of their community.”

Griz Contracting has been awarded the contract for demolition. Weather permitting, the project should be completed by August 8.