Lifting a moratorium on demolishing dilapidated houses was discussed Tuesday, but Vicksburg officials ultimately tabled action on a vacant Buck Street home until Monday.

Mayor Paul Winfield enacted the demolition moratorium shortly after taking office last July, and no homes have been demolished by the city since. When running against former Mayor Laurence Leyens, Winfield said code enforcement was unfair and overbroad, leaving poor people homeless. He said the moratorium was established in light of the city and county’s application for about $35 million in grant funds to create affordable housing through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

The city, county and other partnering organizations learned Friday they were not approved for the grant money, Winfield said. On Tuesday, Buildings and Inspections Director Victor Gray-Lewis asked the board to approve demolition of a vacant and dilapidated home at 840 Buck St.

“The house looks like it’s threatening imminent collapse,” Gray-Lewis told the mayor and aldermen and showed them photos of the property. “It’s not even safe to walk in.”

The Buck Street property is owned by SKL Investments Inc., and is currently listed for sale. Winfield said SKL Investments acquired the property through a delinquent property tax sale, as they have done with several other properties in the city. The board discussed the demolition for about 5 minutes, and then tabled the item until Monday’s meeting. However, Winfield indicated the board might have no choice but to approve tearing down the house.

“It’s in great disrepair and it’s very dangerous,” he said.

“That’s why they want to take it down,” replied South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman, who nonetheless moved to table the item.

If the demolition moratorium is lifted for the home on Buck Street, Winfield said it will not signal a return to the days when demolitions were more commonly approved by the mayor and aldermen.

“In some cases we may need to go in and tear down some properties in order for new ones to be put up, but we’re going to continue to focus on working with residents to rehab properties instead of tearing them down,” he said. “The Leyens administration really forced people to step it up when it came to taking care of their properties. I still want people to step it up, but I don’t want to use it as a tool to displace people.”

The mayor and aldermen are scheduled to meet next at 10 a.m. in room 109 of the City Hall Annex, 1415 Walnut St.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com