BSB orders demolition of 249 Barrett Place after inspectors cite rotten posts, uneven floors and animal contamination

The San Antonio Building Standards Board on Oct. 9 ordered demolition of the house at 249 Barrett Place in City Council District 5 after Development Services staff described extensive structural decay and unsanitary conditions.

A dangerous premises officer identified as Bledsoe presented photos from Sept. 5 and Sept. 30 showing a post‑and‑beam foundation sinking into the ground, rotted cedar posts, missing skirting, missing and detaching wood siding, a sagging roof with a hole at the rear and interior rooms with missing drywall and accumulated debris. The officer said one room contained visible animal feces across the floor and that attic stairs were unsafe to use. Staff recommended demolition of the main structure under City Code Article 8, Chapter 6.

The hearing record included two public comments. One anonymous neighbor asked the board to demolish the house, saying it had been abandoned more than eight years and was an “eyesore.” Amanda Lee Keener, who said she owns a home across the street, also submitted a written comment supporting demolition and described repeated city maintenance efforts at the site and safety concerns.

A motion to declare the property a public nuisance and to order demolition within 30 days passed unanimously. The board recorded no alternative repair plan or timeline on the record; staff will document any later owner contact, permit activity or appeal.

Discussion vs. decision: staff testimony documented structural rot, spongy interior floors and evidence of animal occupancy; neighbors provided written support for demolition. The board issued a formal demolition order that carried unanimously.