[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6271815,"mediaKeyId","3028578-9392957ba081a9b14179a7379acda68e","parentId",3028578,"title","Committee hears report on Promenade apartments: occupancy permit error, orders to vacate and court actions underway","audioSeconds",1419,"startMs",1477280,"endMs",2896320,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028578-9392957ba081a9b14179a7379acda68e&start=1477&end=2896","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028578-9392957ba081a9b14179a7379acda68e/thumbnail_1477280.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271815/Cleveland-Heights/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Committee-hears-report-on-Promenade-apartments-occupancy-permit-error-orders-to-vacate-and-court-actions-underway","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271815-031d78eccdc8f7d4f5456f4c275aef6a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194703&Signature=HRRyVaV716QiPNuSwOStkwalCnlipX0GI3QhR1xHEdGJhMjIxeGNkvjWQbgIQ9WuPtbvd7hfRQZM5iPZ8ZCWAaa9-ZDl2tZWzPQjQ7ts~XU2NgVuo2yFX8rBtgCJCr~i8FgCliBEjaKVIKnzN3sHW0SXAmwLjegJ5e9~5JIP4dYj8-idMaqiB2Rs4NTeWCoro~A~eIuk0v7G3857yghub6C6JtVs2wzg1dgnX-mebiENqoszcDwOk2iy34Tl73XyCf-xotcglbCGOH-sUuGgkZTFydbdOvUYPvbc1jifxVKQyeSm-yehzwDh3xiyHDXAY-RdNAbnySfSgLlvqbd4Kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Cleveland Heights, OH","date","2025-04-17T00:38:03.087Z","article","Council members pressed housing staff on April 14 about substandard conditions and the enforcement response at the Promenade apartment complex on Noble Road after a council member's site visit.

Councilwoman Larson described worsening conditions and raised tenant-safety concerns: \"I was in there two years ago, and they were bad. And now it's even worse,\" she said. Larson detailed unsecured doors, damaged stair tiles, broken garage doors, poor lighting and evidence of fire damage in at least one unit.

Assistant Director of Housing Alan Butler told the committee the city can revoke an occupancy permit that was issued in error. \"We can revoke that, because it was an error not issued correctly,\" he said. Butler said the housing department has posted the building with an order to vacate (the posting occurred in February, according to staff) and has multiple court actions open. \"I want to say there's 5 or 6 pending court cases. I believe there's a warrant for the owner, to appear, for failure to appear,\" Butler told the committee.

Butler and staff described practical enforcement and tenant-protection challenges. The department has been unable to gain easy interior access in a partly occupied multi-building complex, and nuisance-abatement work is typically limited to exterior repairs (trash removal, grass cutting, board-ups). Staff said a point-of-sale transaction fell through for the property and that continued owner inaction has limited progress.

Committee members asked about immediate tenant impacts and assistance. Butler said staff do not yet have a full occupant list; he reported some resident contacts after the posting and said the city avoids penalizing occupants who remain in placarded properties. Staff identified community partners that can provide relocation or legal assistance, including CHN and Legal Aid, and said they will attempt to connect tenants with relocation resources.

Council members discussed enforcement tool options, including expanding civil penalties for code violations. Butler said the city already uses small administrative fines for narrow items (for example, $50 to $100 for trash on the tree lawn) but that expanding civil penalties raises questions about consistent application. Council President Kuda asked the law director to research fines and enforcement structures; Butler said Director Zanf will prepare preliminary research and that the subject may return to the committee in May.

Ending: The committee requested an inventory of current occupants, follow-up on the pending court dates and further staff proposals on enforcement tools and relocation assistance. Butler said staff will continue outreach to CHN and Legal Aid and will report back to the committee.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cleveland Heights Housing and Building Committee April 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Council members and housing staff discussed deteriorating conditions at the Promenade apartments, an occupancy permit Butler said was issued in error, orders to vacate posted in February, pending court cases and efforts to identify and assist tenants through CHN and Legal Aid.","taxTitle","Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio","taxId",54271,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6271819,"Cleveland Heights reviews systematic inspections, expands housing repair and assistance programs",802,38450,841350,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3028578-9392957ba081a9b14179a7379acda68e&start=38&end=841","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3028578-9392957ba081a9b14179a7379acda68e/thumbnail_38450.jpg","/articles/6271819/Cleveland-Heights/Cuyahoga-County/Ohio/Cleveland-Heights-reviews-systematic-inspections-expands-housing-repair-and-assistance-programs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271819-c87c571d1a4f01f8a9343be6f249579e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771194703&Signature=huTniUkuhdW9SDCsyqGaMN9ZDXTbioM~Xmp4TmCTGlP5GIkysbrJMikTwleBFPWoWEIupOOdnVR8vJLg0W22S7q4D94~bPlXUxuGdE5N98PDq5m6bk62c3GW1c1WMyO-TE47ygX3njbwJ3GOtBarIlTZhOK~kPUUT2-oEhg1w1aN1UrlpDXvXUnWALB7SepCPUqi84wtQ44K6olTG9YiyamNgK-kIGb1pytTmbxqnjHrqIxlfY-p9AKDmLMj~Rmn7zHDFu0abdOBcOM63HqdnP4SdJIPemgFr4a8Nq~uyEB3eFPLTjkh9XNs9PxkqA8Rj12y1kgS68IPSNMCdXRQ0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Assistant Director of Housing Alan Butler told the Cleveland Heights City Council Housing and Building Committee on April 14 that the city has advanced its systematic property-inspection program and is moving several housing-preservation initiatives toward implementation.

Butler said rental properties are inspected on a three-year rotation and owner-occupied exteriors on a five-year rotation, and the city also requires point-of-sale inspections when title changes. \"We typically request a rental inspection on a rental property every 3 years,\" Butler said. He said complaint-driven inspections continue through the SeeClickFix system and that the department began the current year's rotation earlier than usual, in March.

The update matters because inspection schedules and related enforcement tools shape neighborhood housing conditions and the city's ability to respond to unsafe or vacant properties. Butler framed the programs as part of a broader housing-preservation strategy that combines enforcement, assistance and targeted redevelopment.

Key details Butler gave to the committee:

- Rental registrations: roughly 3,600 rental registrations are sent annually (figure described as \"typical\" by staff). Out-of-county owner registrations run about 1,200 per year. Foreclosure-bond registrations require lenders to post a $15,000 bond for vacant properties with pending foreclosure when repair needs exist.

- Inspection coverage and schedule: the department reported it is about 75 percent complete in the current zone, a subset of approximately 1,200'1,500 parcels. Butler said the office has completed roughly 750'1,000 inspections in that zone so far this year.

- Point-of-sale and complaint inspections: point-of-sale inspections continue whenever properties transfer title; complaint inspections are issued through SeeClickFix, which the department monitors and assigns to inspectors. Butler said the SeeClickFix status does not always mean a violation is fully remedied, only that it has been routed to staff for processing.

- Codes and enforcement tools: staff are reviewing the International Property Maintenance Code alongside the city's local ordinances to identify duplications and possible improvements; Butler confirmed the review was a Novak report recommendation. The department also maintains a nuisance-abatement ordinance, a tax-delinquent rental ordinance that restricts issuance of occupancy permits unless taxes and nuisance costs are current, and a smaller civil-penalty process for items such as trash on the tree lawn.

- Staffing and operations: Butler said the building department is fully staffed except for a plumbing inspector; the council previously budgeted two inspector positions. Grass-cutting contractor bids have been returned and the city plans an initial two-week rotation of cuts starting in mid-May.

- Housing preservation programs: Butler outlined loan and grant products the city administers, including a deferred loan for seniors (payable at transfer of title), a 0 percent-interest loan with repayments, senior grants, income-qualified repair grants, and a long-running lead-hazard remediation program (described as operating for more than 20 years). He said a nuisance-abatement program is used for quick exterior cleanups (trash removal, board-ups, grass cutting). Butler said the city is expanding some programs with ARPA funding and that HRRC is increasing down-payment assistance (recently up to $10,000) and looking at making portions forgivable.

- Outreach and tenant information: the committee discussed a one-page tenant-rights pamphlet produced with Legal Aid; Butler said the PDF is already on the city website and printed copies are available at City Hall. Councilmember Larson asked for regular newsletter reminders to increase program awareness; Butler said staff will update flyers and materials as ARPA guidelines are finalized and distribute them through court and other contacts.

Butler also described redevelopment steps for tax-delinquent properties: the city has created a community-investment corporation mechanism to aid transfer and renovation of tax-delinquent structures and has issued requests for expressions of interest (RFEIs) to seek proposals for renovation or demolition and lot assembly.

Ending: Butler said staff will return to the committee with proposed ordinance changes and a preliminary analysis of civil penalties; council leadership asked the department and the law director to prepare options so the council could consider whether to expand administrative civil penalties without unduly increasing subjectivity in enforcement.","Assistant Director of Housing Alan Butler told the Housing and Building Committee that the city is advancing its systematic inspection rotation, renewing code review work and expanding grant and loan programs — including ARPA-funded flexibility — while preparing outreach materials for landlords and tenants.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears report on Promenade apartments: occupancy permit error, orders to vacate and court actions underway

Cleveland Heights reviews systematic inspections, expands housing repair and assistance programs