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Keokuk, IA – The Lee County Board of Supervisors has signed over the deed to the home of 323 Concert Street to the city of Keokuk for $1. The county had authority over the property due to back property taxes.
Keokuk has been trying to address the condition of the property for years. The structure was declared "unsafe to occupy" more than five years ago.
The former owner is William Howard.
Howard told the supervisors, during a recent public hearing, that the house is currently used for storage and as a home for his dogs. He says the property fell into disrepair because of time in jail and a backlog of bills.
Mayor Tom Marion says Keokuk will give Howard up to 45 days to remove the dogs and his possessions.
Marion says the city has money set aside for dealing with dangerous, dilapidated structures. The estimated cost of taking down 323 Concert Street is about $6,500.
Marion says Keokuk will sell the lot once the house is removed. He says there are a few other properties in Keokuk that the city is targeting for demolition, based on their current condition.
Marion says Keokuk will likely drop a lawsuit against Howard, involving the house, based on the supervisors' decision.