OAKLAND -- For six years, a trio of delapidated homes has sat on the 2600 block of Wallace Street. They were severely damaged in 2002 by a landslide.

"It it was city owned property the city would have been stepping up right away," said councilwoman Patricia Kernighan. "But because it's private property the city was hoping the private property owners would take care of it and we were trying to avoid the liabilty that would go along with us doing something."

Neighbors say the eyesores have increased crime and caused property values to drop.

"Nothing else can happen here until these houses are gone, whether it's someone else building, keeping the area open, have a park, a community garden," said Quinn Miller, who owns a home in the neighborhood.

Residents complain people illegally dump garbage on the properties as well, leaving neighbors to clean up the mess..

Monday night, Oakland's Redevelopment Board approved spending $800,000 to tear down two of the homes and stabilize the earth. Kernighan says this was the ciy's only option. The owner of the third home says he wants to repair it, but says the city won't let him. The city is considering condemning te house and demolishing it.

As for the redevelopment proposal, the city council will have to vote on it before any demolition can take place.