DECATUR, Ill (WAND) - Decatur leaders believe revitalizing areas of the city requires innovation.

However, that alone isn't enough to make the changes the council and residents want to see. A special meeting was held at the Main Street Church of the Living God on Monday. Getting rid of blighted homes is a priority among the council. 

The areas the city is focusing are called 'opportunity zones'. Neighborhoods such as Martin Luther King, Wabash Crossing and GM Square are on the list. Property value, crime and blight conditions are factors in the process. 

WAND News asked Councilman Pat McDaniel where the money would come from. He said it would have to be a combination of public and private funding. 

"We just have to be realistic (with) what we can do, based on the money," McDaniel said. 

The councilman said the city set up about $300,000 through tax levies in 2017. It was money from the Howard Buffett foundation. 

"A lot of that [money] is going to be eaten up doing the demos," McDaniel explained. 

The city manager said he's looking for a financial adviser.  The city council said success behind its efforts will be measured by levels of employment, the number of people living in the targeted areas, a decrease in crime rates and increase in property value.