An ongoing effort to deal with a dilapidated property in Clinton is just one of several but it highlights a challenge small communities have balancing keeping the visual appearance of neighborhoods attractive but not displacing people from their homes.

City Administrator Tim Followell says it isn't always a fun process and small communities face a greater challenge in dealing with properties that are becoming rundown. He explains small communities have to jump through more hoops to deal with these properties. 

Followell says it is a difficult line to toe encouraging homeowners to keep their properties maintained so the City doesn't have to take action and then determining action needs to be taken. He indicates you have so many parties and their rights to consider.

Followell indicates oftentimes, these homes end up being razed. He says they often end up as money pits for the community because so much money is poured into dealing with them and then are sold for far less than that investment - another challenge of dealing with these properties. 

The property under scrutiny on North Quincy Street in Clinton isn't the only property being monitored at this time. City officials continue to encourage homeowners and property owners to do basic things like keeping up with mowing and overgrown brush. They believe that goes a long way in keeping properties visually appealing.