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Council authorizes legal steps to demolish burned, occupied house at 21065 Dofer
Summary
After city staff described the structure as unfit for habitation and counsel recommended court action to remove a resident, the Warren City Council adopted a resolution authorizing nuisance-abatement demolition and court filing.
The Warren City Council voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the demolition of a house and garage at 21065 Dofer through the city's nuisance-abatement process and to allow the city attorney to file court action to proceed.
City legal counsel and building-inspection staff told the council the house is unfit for habitation: counsel noted roof loss and extensive fire damage. Councilmember Lafferty pressed staff on options for a resident who remained in the structure despite its condition.
City counsel described the recommended approach to avoid legal risk: while "self-help" removal (using police and building inspectors without a court order) has been used elsewhere, counsel said she did not recommend relying on it here. "My recommendation is to... pursue an equitable order from the circuit court," counsel said, citing the need for a clear legal path before physically removing an occupant to allow demolition.
Council and staff discussed outreach to other agencies, including the state Department of Health and Human Services, and efforts to contact county housing resources. Counsel said staff had also located a state agency contact through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) office to coordinate sheltering and demolition logistics.
The council voted to adopt the amended resolution authorizing the building inspector to post the property as unfit and authorizing counsel to file for court action to obtain a demolition order. The motion carried unanimously.
Why it matters: Council directed a legally cautious path — a circuit-court equitable order — to remove an occupant from an unsafe structure before demolition. Staff flagged coordination needs with housing and human-services agencies to secure humane relocation options and to ensure the demolition proceeds under court oversight.
