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Council commends improvements to old homes
The houses on 16th Street were at risk of condemnation
new deh gb city council house pic web
The Great Bend City Council Monday night heard an update on improvements to the houses on 16th Street once deemed by the city as unsafe and dangerous. - photo by DALE HOGG Great Bend Tribune

 City of Great Bend Code Enforcement Officer Stuart Baker flipped through slides showing before and after images of a row of old homes on 16th Street that had been on the verge of being condemned.

But now, “they have been put into compliance on my part,” he said during the City Council meeting Monday night with a nod to Ida Luse who, along with her husband Bert, own the structures. He was referring to four early 20th Century houses in the 2000 block of 16th across from the Post Office.

“We’ve been at this for a long time,” he said. “They look much better.”

It was last August that the houses were declared “unsafe and dangerous” by the council that then set the September public hearing date. There had been holes in sagging roofs and porches, rotted wood, missing windows, open crawl spaces allowing refuges to feral cats and vermin, overgrown vegetation and assorted debris. 

Citing progress in the cleaning up and repairing the homes at 2109, 2111, 2115, and 2119 16th Street, the council in September voted to table action on condemning the structures for demolition for 60 days. The move by the council followed a public hearing and lengthy discussion on the dilapidated houses. 

The matter was back on the agenda for the Nov. 21 meeting, at which time the council was updated on improvements to the properties. At that time Baker reviewed the improvements and the council decided to revisit the issue this February, as they did Monday night.

So far: The houses have been repainted; porches, windows and roofs have been replaced; holes have been filled, trees have been trimmed; and debris has been cleared.

“The area appreciates it,” Councilwoman Allene Owen said. She echoed the sentiments of others on the council when she congratulated and thanked Ida on the work that’s been done.

As for making the houses inhabitable again, Luse said she’s not sure. “I am exploring what I might do. I haven’t gotten that far.”

All four houses were built between 1900 and 1918.  

It was noted in November that progress had been made. Ida said she hoped to have the work completed in six months.