The Erie Bureau of Code Enforcement, facing a shortage of state and federal funds, has announced a new plan to fight urban blight in the city.
Code Enforcement will begin a pilot program of installing facades in front of decrepit houses to mask the homes’ true appearances.
“There are so many vacant houses, and we were getting behind on demolition,” according to Andy Zimmerman, manager of Code Enforcement. “So, we are rolling out this façade program – starting on the lower west side.”
The plan calls for facades to be placed directly in front of deteriorating houses, so that people walking or driving by will not notice the true state of the house.
“Were going for what real estate agents call ‘curb appeal’” said Zimmerman.
Phase two of the plan will begin in the spring, when Code Enforcement will be adding cardboard cutouts of friendly neighbors in the windows of the facades.
gooferie 
Fake facades seem what we need here in the mon valley of Pittsburgh
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We need to do that here in Buffalo. Perhaps a presentation to the Planning Board is in order. Of course, then committees will have to be formed to decide who gets the contract for building the facades, which houses are in the most dire need, and (of course) a committee to assure that the cutout neighbors are properly diversified.
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Coming soon to HGTV! 🙂
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Reblogged this on idiotprufs and commented:
Another post from Gooferie.
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