City staff proposes vacant-property registration ordinance to speed rehabilitation

City staff presented a proposed addition to Title 29 of the city code to create an unoccupied and vacant property building registration program that would identify and register vacant residential and commercial buildings, determine owner responsibilities and accelerate rehabilitation and reuse. "The administration is proposing, addition into, title 29 in our city code to add an unoccupied and vacant property building registration program," a city staff member said during the Affordable Housing Commission meeting. "The purpose of it is to identify and register unoccupied and vacant residential and commercial buildings and structures, to determine responsibilities of owners of vacant buildings and structures, and to speed the rehabilitation of those structures for productive use."

The nut graf: the proposed ordinance would create a registry for vacant properties, give the code office more tools to track and address blighted parcels, and include an escalating fee schedule intended to cover program management and, in some cases, demolition costs so taxpayers are not charged for remediation on private property.

Commission discussion emphasized the ordinance’s complexity and that it contains exemptions, exceptions and detailed qualifiers. The staff presentation said the registry is meant to complement existing complaint-driven code enforcement and provide an administrative pathway for the city to “track, vacant properties, and to remediate or work with the property owner, to improve those properties.” The presenter said an escalating fee structure is proposed because "as a property remains vacant, the costs of the upkeep and remediation go up...and in some cases, may require possession and demolition by the city."

No formal vote on the ordinance took place at the commission. Staff said they plan to finalize revisions and deliver the draft to the Clerk of Council so it can be scheduled for committee discussion; the presenter said that submission would occur "by tomorrow" to be ready for committee. The commission members provided feedback to staff and expressed general support for the idea of using a registry to return unused properties to productive use, while noting details such as exemptions, fee levels and implementation would need further refinement.

Ending: The ordinance remains a staff proposal pending formal introduction to Council and committee review. The commission's role at this stage is advisory; members urged collaboration with code enforcement and other city offices to ensure recommendations are practical and legally sound.