Magistrate reduces lien on Fourth Street rental property to $6,795 and allows two-year payment plan

The special magistrate on Sept. 16 reduced a recorded code lien on a rental property on Fourth Street from $67,950 to $6,795 and granted a 24-month repayment period after the owner said she had not received certified notices and needed time to resolve outstanding tax and permit issues.

Kettley (spelled in the record as Kettley David) identified herself as the owner of KDev Solutions and said the property supplies her household income following her husband's death. She told the magistrate she had relied on tenants to receive mail and had not realized the certified notices had been routed to the rental property rather than her mailing address. The city representative recited the violations cited — landscape maintenance, missing rental license and certificate of use, outdoor storage, cleanliness and inoperative vehicle — and the total lien calculation.

The magistrate said the case had been out of compliance for 453 days and reduced the lien to 10 percent of the original amount, $6,795, then allowed 24 months for payment. The order notes alternative offers and declines a near-zero settlement request. The magistrate encouraged the respondent to meet with code staff to track remaining administrative steps.

Why this matters: the decision highlights how notice delivery, owner financial circumstances and demonstrable corrective action factor into magistrate decisions about lien reductions and payment terms.

The magistrate provided a written order and directed the owner to follow the payment schedule and coordinate with code enforcement to confirm remedial actions and obtain any required permits.