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Residents press council on vacant-property fires and police response; council schedules draft ordinance for Oct. 21
Summary
Several property owners described repeated fires at an abandoned house and urged stronger enforcement and neighborhood involvement; council and staff said a draft of a comprehensive vacant-property ordinance will be brought on Oct. 21 and that the city has placed the property on a priority list.
Property owners and residents told the Brawley City Council Tuesday that repeated fires at a single vacant house have damaged neighboring properties and left residents feeling unsafe, and they urged immediate, stronger action from city and police officials.
At public comment, Maria Pinaldo and her sister Maria Carrillo Martinez described fires at 151 West C Street, reporting multiple calls to dispatch and alleging inadequate police response. Pinaldo said the house "caught on fire again resulting in damage to our property" and charged that police "failed miserably" in responding. Carrillo Martinez said an officer told the family he had checked the property and later denied seeing evidence; she said she felt the officer had been untruthful and called for his termination.
City staff and council members acknowledged the family's concerns and said the city is working on multiple fronts. City staff said letters had been sent to the property owner and that the city is preparing steps including potential demolition if the owner does not act. The city said the address has been added to a prioritized list of vacant properties and that the city is updating a comprehensive vacant-building ordinance; staff told the council they anticipate bringing a draft ordinance to the council on Oct. 21 for public input.
Councilmembers and staff emphasized that the city is coordinating code enforcement, police and fire responses, and that the city is exploring neighborhood-led solutions such as neighborhood watch programs. Mayor Revilar and other council members noted they have discussed the vacant-property issue repeatedly in recent meetings: "When I ran for office, one of the things I ran on was having a vacant building ordinance," a councilmember said, adding that "we've made more progress in the last 9 months than we have in the last 25 years." Councilmember comments stressed the need to balance enforcement with legal process and to follow up with residents individually.
Staff also said that the vacant-property work is part of a broader effort: the city is developing a coordinated citywide response, including compiling an inventory of vacant properties and more aggressive enforcement tools. The council encouraged residents to attend the Oct. 21 meeting to share input on the draft ordinance.
No formal enforcement action against the property owner was voted at the meeting; staff said letters and administrative measures are in process and that further action will depend on legal and procedural steps and owner response.
