By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times
Joined by representatives of several city departments during the demolition of a house gutted by fire in the Smithfield community, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin on Wednesday said the city’s targeted efforts to reduce the number of blighted houses in the city were encouraging and continuing to grow.
So far, the city has completed demolition of 126 structures in 2025 and nearly 2,500 since 2018, city officials said.
“Neighborhood revitalization is our top priority,” Woodfin said. “The city is committed to removing blighted structures and enhancing public safety in our communities. City departments coordinate each week to target problem areas to ensure our efforts are effective in creating positive change in our neighborhoods.”
The mayor was joined by Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services, Birmingham Police, and the departments of the City Attorney; Planning, Engineering and Permits (PEP); and Public Works.
City Attorney Nicole King said there is a legal process that must take place related to the city’s demolition of private property. Structures are inspected, if posted for condemnation, the city must make efforts to contact the property owner, present to the Birmingham City Council for consideration, and then place the property on the list for demolition.
For example, 20 properties appeared on this week’s council agenda and were condemned for demolition, according to the city.
City officials said a weekly process is in place to rid neighborhoods of blighted, condemned structures in cases where the private property owner simply won’t maintain or demolish the structure. Through code enforcement efforts, the city also makes efforts to encourage private property owners to demolish condemned structures without additional city action.
The demolition cost is based on the square footage of the structure. The average cost is between $4,000 and $7,000 for a residential structure. That cost will typically be much higher for a larger, non-residential structure.
The city budgets for demolition of blighted structures each year. This year, the budget is $1.5 million.
In addition to demolition, the city’s current operating budget reserves more than $20 million for neighborhood revitalization including street resurfacing, sidewalks, traffic calming, and weed abatement, according to the city. Residents may report neighborhood concerns to 311. The city also identifies blighted properties on a daily basis through code enforcement.
