Atmore Officials Explain Housing Demolition

In a phone interview today, Friday, July 17, 2009 Atmore Mayor Howard Shell says the property in question on Rockaway Creek Drive has been a problem for at least 10 years. City officials say they’ve given the home owner, Carolyn Caraway, more than enough time to keep the property within Alabama statutes regarding nuisance property. Shell says the Atmore City Council is merely following the law.

Atmore Building Inspector Chris Black says the property will not be torn down Monday. Black says, because of an appeal and the possibility of this case going to circuit court, they will not reexamine the demolition issue until at least August 13th. Black says the house has not been occupied for at least three years, maybe longer. He says demolition is the last resort after repeated requests for the homeowner to fix the property. Black says Caraway appealed to the Atmore City Council Monday and the council decided to let the demolition order stand.

Homeowner Caraway says she will appeal to circuit court but hasn’t yet. In an interview yesterday, she said she couldn’t afford to keep the property in good condition because of health problems.