Topeka reviews third year of property-maintenance initiative; data, code update and landlord enforcement highlighted

Councilwoman Karen Hiller, chair of the Topeka City Council Public Health and Safety Committee, told the committee on Feb. 26 that the city’s “Changing Our Culture: Property Maintenance” initiative has reached its third year of a five‑year plan and staff are preparing a midcourse review.

The initiative — which Hiller described as “multisector” and led operationally by project manager Nicole Stovall and Property Maintenance Director John Shardine — aims to address mowing, vegetation, trash dumping, vacant properties, renter protections and landlord accountability. Hiller said inspectors have been near full staffing for about a year and that the city is now able to begin measuring performance against baseline numbers.

Why it matters: The initiative ties code enforcement, housing supports and neighborhood outreach to reduce blight, protect tenant health and safety, and speed repair of problematic rental properties. The committee and staff said the next steps include a code rewrite, improved data, and tighter enforcement tools for nonresponsive LLC owners.

Committee report and timeline Hiller summarized several work streams. Staff plan to draft a recommended update to the Topeka Property Maintenance Code (TPMC) and present a recommendation to the full council by June 2025 with the goal of final council action by August 2025. She said vegetation provisions have been promoted for two summers and that active enforcement of the vegetation section is scheduled to begin in 2026.

Hiller said the initiative has focused on a homeowner safety net (referrals and hardship forms), reestablishing a housing navigator position, and adding outreach materials in Spanish. She also described a planned real‑time vacant‑property database to be shared among police, fire and property maintenance so responders can see past complaints and inspections before arriving on site.

Landlords and LLCs Hiller said the council previously adopted an ordinance tightening LLC responsibilities so principals can be held accountable when property managers or an LLC do not respond to notices. “Staff reports that seems to have worked,” she said, adding that staff will review fines and fee language in the 2025 code update to simplify repeat‑offender enforcement.

Enforcement example: McGinnis properties John Shardine provided a report on recent sanitation enforcement tied to management problems at a group of properties managed by Lou McGinnis’s team. “The report I’ve given reflects 46 cases, 37 of which are sanitation, 9 are lack of receptacles,” Shardine said. He told the committee five properties were abated and the city has referred the matters to municipal court; Shardine said the abatement bills were paid.

Renter protection and inspections Hiller and staff said staff have shifted the initiative’s framing away from strictly “retaliation prevention” toward a broader renter‑health and safety approach. A reinstated housing navigator is intended to help tenants access resources. Hiller and staff said they are encouraging apartment managers and tenants to use city outreach and that code and inspection policies are being refined so the city can inspect complexes when necessary.

Legal and legislative context Hiller noted collaboration with city legal on enforcement approaches. The committee discussed a state legislative proposal tied to HUD properties (discussed separately in the meeting); staff said the city is seeking tools to inspect complexes without placing the entire burden on individual tenants.

Performance measurement and communications Staff reported they are assembling 2024 data as a preliminary baseline for outcome measures and have created a report sheet and action plan for departmental leads. Communications Director Dan Garrett is coordinating a social media campaign to keep the initiative visible and to educate residents on reporting and remediation options.

Other updates - Vacant properties: staff have produced a mothballing brochure and will work with planning and the land bank to activate underutilized parcels. - Pest elimination: since the ordinance change the city reported only two pest cases; both resolved.

Votes at a glance - Election of 2025 committee chair: Karen Hiller re‑confirmed as chair by consensus (no roll‑call vote recorded). Outcome: approved. - Approval of Jan. 15, 2025 committee meeting minutes: Motion to approve made and seconded; voice vote recorded “aye.” Outcome: approved.

Next steps Staff will return with code‑revision drafts and performance data; Hiller and project staff asked committee members and neighborhood partners to review public materials and provide feedback on the TPMC draft before the June recommendation.