Officials in the central Illinois city of Peoria say tearing down abandoned houses can remove eyesores and make neighborhoods safer.

Reports indicate the city is nearly out of money for such demolitions for the year, but a backlog remains.

Peoria has spent more than $750,000 demolishing 73 houses this year. That's most of the money budgeted for the knockdowns for 2015.

Assistant Community Development Director Joe Dullin says there's still a need for more demolition of abandoned buildings.

Peoria obtains a court order for each demolition, which can take many months. Structures must meet one of 13 "dangerous building" criteria to be torn down.

The Journal Star reports the city demolished 86 buildings last year, mostly in South Peoria.