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City staff outline pilot program using Iowa Code 657A to redevelop abandoned houses and sell city lots
Summary
City Administrator Matt Martinson asked the council to consider a pilot program under Iowa Code section 657A to address dilapidated and abandoned houses and to offer city-owned vacant lots under development agreements that require construction within a set period. Council members voiced support and asked staff to return with a scope and potential
Muscatine City officials presented a plan April 10 to use Iowa Code section 657A procedures and developer agreements to accelerate redevelopment of abandoned houses and to sell city-owned vacant lots under conditions that require timely rebuilding.
City Administrator Matt Martinson described a multi-step process used in prior cities to declare a property abandoned, document code violations, pursue legal remedies, and then solicit developers through requests for proposals (RFPs) to demo and rebuild. Martinson said the city’s approach emphasizes thorough documentation and reinspection before court filings and uses developer agreements that can require a minimum-assessed value and a build-by deadline. “We start by notifying the property owner with a personal letter with photos of the property and the issues,” Martinson said during the presentation, adding that staff had used police services to deliver notices and…
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