People in River Heights are upset with the City of Winnipeg for demolishing houses on Fulham Avenue because they've been neglected and fallen into disrepair.

The city bulldozed at least one of three vacant homes on Fulham and Kenaston Boulevard on Monday.

Ken Klassen lives in the area and claims the city is violating its own neighbourhood liveability and vacant building bylaws by taking the homes down.

The city previously acquired homes at 61 and 65 Fulham Ave. and one at 49 Kenaston Blvd. Klassen said the city committed to taking care of and renting out the vacant homes until the land was needed to widen Kenaston.

"They promised the community that if they [bought] homes they'll maintain them, and [that] they won't be torn down until they're actually needed. And in fact, we see behind us, the opposite is occurring," Klassen said as tractors pulled apart one of the homes nearby.

Ken Klassen said the city is going back on its word to maintain and rent out homes in his neighbourhood. (CBC)

A spokesperson with the city said the homes were deemed unfit to live in.

"We're demolishing the houses now to protect the public, because they are unfit for occupancy and represent a safety risk," the spokesperson said in a statement.

'Destroying the evidence'

But Klassen said the only reason the homes are unsafe to live in is because the city didn't honour its word to take care of them.

"They're running these houses into the ground and then claiming that they're unrentable and then demolishing them … destroying the evidence," he said.

A Winnipeg homeowner says the city is covering up evidence of neglect after tractors tore down 0:59

Klassen said it was devastating to see the first of the buildings go.

"It's really horrible to see beautiful character homes, that were once occupied by families, go vacant for years, and have no maintenance and having the police using them for practice for their SWAT team," Klassen said.

"It's just a real degradation of the quality of life in the community, and it's all because of the City of Winnipeg."

The city spokesperson said the land will now be converted into green space with "as many trees as possible."