FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (WOAY) – Fayette County Commission’s Dilapidated Structures Program helps with the county’s housing shortage by removing property in a state of ruin or decay, leaving it unfit for human occupancy.
There’s already infrastructure there. In 2025, they were granted $520,000 for the program. People sign up for a voluntary demolition.
“The persons that apply need to be the property owners themselves. It can’t be their neighbor saying there’s a dilapidated house here beside us, come and take it down,” said Fayette County Commission President John Brenemen. “Once the property has been torn down, the property owner is responsible for maintaining it, keeping it clean, keeping the grass cut, keeping the weeds down. Just because you fill out an application for this grant, doesn’t mean that you’re going to be accepted.”
Bids come back to the Fayette County Commission with the value of what it would cost to tear down each of these dilapidated structures and haul them away properly.
“It’s of benefit to the homeowner plus the county,” the commissioner said. “We have an opportunity for someone to come in and build a new house, and that would help with our housing shortage. Also, someone who’s on social security, an older citizen who doesn’t have the ability to go out and tear down the house themselves — this gives them the opportunity to do it at no cost.”
According to Brenemen, their committee looks at the structures and determines which ones are accepted.
“The ones that qualify we go through the application process and dig into the application to make sure it’s the actual homeowner,” he said. “And to make sure they’re aware that once the house has been torn down, they’re going to be responsible for maintaining the lot.”
Depending on how many sign up is how many houses come down.
“We’re looking forward to helping a lot of people, and hopefully get some structures started so people can have some housing,” said Brenemen.
