The dilapidated look of DeKalb’s older neighborhoods may change soon. The city council looked to implement a demolition assistance program at Monday’s meeting.

The program will be funded by $50,000 of the community development block grant which will assist homeowners with demolitions of detached structures, Assistant City Manager Linda Wiggins said.

The money will be used for the demolition of garages, sheds or small barns, Community Services Planner Sue Guio said.

The city will pay half the demolition costs for low- to moderate-income residents and the entire cost for very low-income residents.

Guio said the demolition was originally part of the Pleasant Street Neighborhood Revitalization Plan, but it has been extended to the entire city because of adequate funds.

Second Ward Alderman Kris Povlsen asked whether there would be a $5,000 or $8,000 cap on the amount paid by the city.

Guio said this would not be necessary as the size of the structures being demolished would be small and from previous experience with demolition, an anticipated $1,500 to $2,500 would be spent on each structure.

She said the program would be functional by mid-April and estimated 15 to 20 people will be helped in one year.

Along with the demolition of old structures, the city will see the addition of new homes.

The council approved building a sub-division and golf course on a 48-acre lot near the South Pointe Banquet Center, 200 Gurler Road.

The city also voted to postpone the consideration of traffic issues on the intersection of Annie Glidden Road, Twombly Road and Dresser Road.

City Manager Mark Biernacki suggested the discussion be postponed until the developers of shopping complexes around the area are present, Mayor Greg Sparrow said.

Povlsen said the discussion should be focused on the way engineers develop traffic flow and not the developer who wants to build around the intersection.

The council also approved the distribution of two grants from its community development block grant funds.

Safe Passage Inc. will be granted $150,000 for relocation of a historic building and Regional Access and Mobilization Project Inc., 1022 W. Lincoln Highway, will be granted $9,350 for 20 percent of the cost of remodeling its office on the corner of Annie Glidden Road and Lincoln Highway to make it more handicap accessible.

In other news, Police Chief Bill Feithen discussed the 2004 annual police report.

The number of criminal sexual assaults was up 60 percent to 48 in 2004, and 26 of the 48 were alcohol related, Feithen said.

Accidents increased from 1,917 in 2003 to 1,958 in 2004, he said.

Feithen said he was concerned that six of the nine highest accident intersections were on Annie Glidden Road.