With just the click of your mouse, you can actively decrease blight in Macon-Bibb County.
Detroit’s Loveland Technologies surveyed 32,000 pieces of property in Macon-Bibb this summer with the help of area surveyors and volunteers. Surveyors accessed parcels through Loveland’s app answering questions about property usage, occupancy and condition. The results identified 3,700 unoccupied properties and the largest amount of blight was found in the city’s urban core.
The information collected is now a detailed, interactive map any internet user can access, even by tablet or smartphone. Users can, discover occupancy status, search by address and much more. Blighted parcels and neighborhoods are easy to spot through a simple color-coding system, with red representing areas that need the most attention or resources. By clicking on a parcel, users can view pictures and property details collected by surveyors. Special search options through the query function allow users to view only what they specify – for example, only unoccupied structures in good condition.
Site creators say the tool will aid officials in creating budgets as well as identifying new development or property rehabilitation opportunities. Area leaders and proponents of the site say it will engage the community in the continued fight on blight.
Revenue from a 2018 special sales tax is earmarked for blight-related projects when the remaining bond money from the $14 million award is spent.
The blight study and website support the continuation of OneMacon’s strategic plan of Place, Jobs and Schools through the beautification of visible places, engagement of both residents and business owners and the continued efforts to improve conditions for future entrepreneurial development.
Community members are encouraged to explore maconbibbsurvey.com or help keep information up to date by contacting Cass Hatcher at chatcher@gabhs.org.
