PONTIAC, Mich. – Back in 2014, it was considered an outlandish goal to make the city of Pontiac ‘Blight-Free.' Flash forward four years later and, boy, how time and whole lot of work can change things.
They’re calling it a ‘Clean Sweep’ through the city of Pontiac.
“There are 99 homes left to get blight and eradicated from our neighborhoods," said Mayor Dr. Deirdre Waterman.
Which is impressive, being that just four years ago, there was total of 916 abandoned properties. Fast forward to Friday, bull dozers have torn them down. It’s a plan Waterman said is all about the bigger picture.
“We have made our neighborhoods safer, made safe walks to schools, which is now a reality for our children,” Waterman said.
Waterman met Friday with other city leaders and Governor Rick Snyder in Downtown Pontiac, unveiling a progress report about the ‘Be Blight-Free in Pontiac’ Plan.
It’s a plan Snyder believes will put Pontiac back on the map and bring people back to the city. He’s calling it a comeback 2.0.
"Pontiac is coming back and it’s exciting. It should be a destination for millennials looking to be a part of that comeback story, just like Detroit is getting that reputation," Snyder said. "Pontiac should be in that same category."