Fort Madison works to take care of rundown properties

QUINCY (WGEM) - A public nuisance tax sale was held on Monday in Fort Madison for rundown structures with delinquent taxes.

Developers at the sale, purchased nine building certificates. They have the option to either rehabilitate the structures or tear them down to build new ones.

City officials say this will make the town safer and give people more opportunities to move into the city.

“It’s adding properties back onto the housing market that people can live in and keep the city and others from having to tear down houses that could be saved,” said City Clerk Melinda Blind.

While Blind anticipates Fort Madison’s property value will go up because of the sales, she says that it could take up to a year to see the full effects of this on the community.

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