Dayton to eliminate demolition fees after criticism on tornado cleanup

The city of Dayton plans to waive demolition and other permit fees for people affected by the Memorial Day tornadoes.

The fees had been criticized by some groups that are assisting with the storm cleanup and tornado victims.

More than 1,000 structures were damaged in Dayton, and city staff have been working to figure out how to help people rebuild or repair their properties, the city said.

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On Wednesday, the Dayton City Commission is expected to approve a resolution allowing the city to suspend fees for storm victims.

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Steve Liles, lead coordinator with the Churches of Christ Disaster Response Team, told this newspaper that the demo fees were harming storm victims who were already struggling financially.

He said he has never heard of a city charging a fee for demolition after a natural disaster event.

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