City will act on vacant, unsecured houses

State statute requires that if a house or building of any kind is unoccupied, it must be secured.  Any openings in the structure must be locked, boarded or otherwise secured to keep animals or other beings out of the house or building. 

Unsecured structures can be reported to the Action Center at 297-2535. Please provide the address of the property and it will be reported to Neighborhood Services. 

An inspector will visit the property and verify that it is unoccupied and unsecured. If the property is found in violation, the inspector will notify all mortgage holders and owners of the property. A date is set for a City Council hearing, and a notice is left on the property 10 days prior to the hearing date.  A notice is also sent in the mail to all parties with an interest in the violation. 

If the violation is not taken care of before the Council date, the Council will declare the building in violation.  The owners then have 10 days to take care of the violation.  If the nuisance is not abated by that 10-day period after Council, it is sent to a contractor and the owner is billed for the cost of securing the building/house.