(MT. VERNON, IL) — Abandoned homes in Mt. Vernon are being torn down to make way for new middle class housing. Twenty properties throughout the city have been declared dilapidated and will be leveled in the coming weeks. Some of the homes are up to 80 years old and have become hazards in their neighborhoods. City officials hope tearing them down will make the areas safer and attract new development. The city has budgeted tens of thousands of dollars this year for demolition projects, money that neighbors say is well spent.