Do tell me more
Contractors must be on an approved list. (Bribe time)
Each stage of work gets inspected for partial and final payment. This is coordinated along with the regional utility companies.
Most the homes have received zero maintenance for the past 30 years and are uninsurable. Rotted floors, broken sewer lines from house to curb, out of code wiring and plumbing, termite damaged, and just pure neglect.
Enter the assistance program.....What good are new windows when there is no wood left to nail into? Hooking up a new heat pump / A/C system that sanitary drains the condensate(law) into a sanitary drain line into a broken line in the yard? The house eventually floods and the yard is a mud pit.
What good is a new hot water heater if you have your water turned off for non-payment?
And so on........you get the picture.
Not to mention they usually can't even find the Auntee or grandmother that actually owns the house. The occupants are really just related squatters.