(WSBT) There are more than 2,000 abandoned and vacant homes in South Bend. They're often to blame for plummeting property values and increasing crime.

But Tuesday, Mayor Steve Luecke announced a plan to begin to reclaim those houses — one block at a time.

Ask any police officer, and he'll say vacant homes aren't just an eye sore.

“Drugs, prostitution, vagrants come in here and are sleeping there," one South Bend police officer said.

So Tuesday, the mayor announced his multi-million dollar plan to remove hundreds and fix dozens.

"We have been working hard to come up with a plan," Mayor Luecke said. "We’re inviting people to come back home to our neighborhoods in South Bend."

During the next three years, the city says it'll spend three and a half million dollars tearing down vacant abandoned homes past the point of repair. It'll identify another 45 homes that can be saved. Those houses will be sold for a dollar a piece.

"Either to individuals who will commit to making the repairs necessary to bring these houses up to substantial code or to developers," the mayor added.

Anyone interested has to put at least $75,000 in improvements into the home and agree to live there at least five years or face penalties.

Through those improvements, the city expects to bring in $3.5 million in private investment.

"It’s just another tool in our tool belt," Karen Ainsley with the Near NorthWest Association said.

Neighborhood revitalization groups say the plan will build on what they've been doing for years.

"But it will bring some private investment to the table," Ainsley added. “The river's here the amenities downtown have improved dramatically over the last five years so people are interested in living in the city — it's just the incentive to make the city more attractive than moving to the suburbs and I think this is going to do it.”

Demolition will begin over the summer. The city is still working to identify the 45 homes it will acquire over the next three years to sell.